The Long Journey Home
by n0pwny
Summary: After a mysterious new manor appears on the edge of Ponyville, Twilight Sparkle's curiosity gets the better of her and she wanders within, discovering a pony who made a deal with a devil...and lost.
1. Prologue

Prologue

_-Somewhere not too far from anywhere, but not too close either, a citizen of Equestria waits in a white room, waiting to finally return to her family and friends after three long years. _

Home. Finally, she was going home. All that stood in her way was a final assessment of her development during her stay, and she could finally go back to Equestria. She would meet up with the ponies she had left behind and leave all...this…behind.

She snapped her attention back to the one before her, reading her history.

_You've made remarkable progress over the past three years, especially for one who has had no training whatsoever. Are you absolutely certain you would not like to stay longer and learn more? _

She shook her head vigorously.

"I've kept up my end of the deal. I'm leaving now. You can keep all my stuff. I don't want it anymore."

_Hmm…. You do realize that for millennia, no being has ever chosen to leave? Have you taken that into consideration?_

"I have. It doesn't matter to me. I'm going home today, and that's final. My contract's over, I don't have to work with you guys anymore. Isn't that right?"

_That's correct. You are absolutely free to leave here. But do you desire it? Don't rush. This is your last chance to stay._

She answered surely and swiftly.

"I desire to leave. Now let me go!"

There was a ghostly hiss, and a swirling yellow portal materialized at the end of the space. She ran forward, and was almost through it when she glanced back. The room was empty. Nothing would be following her through.

A fresh .

As she immersed herself in the golden light, a strange feeling blossomed in the back of her head, spreading rapidly to the rest of her body, intensifying into pain. It felt like she was being skewered by burning needles from the inside out. She screamed and spasmed in the light until, unable to withstand it anymore, she gave up and blacked out.

A shadowy figure emerged from a pool of blackness in the floor and allowed itself the luxury of a smile.

_Surely you didn't think it would be so easy? That we would merely let you go? You are far too valuable to us for that. You are returning, make no mistake, but under _our_ conditions. _

The smile became a chuckle, then a full-fledged laugh. Had she still been awake, she would have cowered in fear. The laughing went on and on, intensifying as more figures began to appear around the first and join in.

_Prepare the receiving structure. We have a soul to reclaim, and this time it will be ours for all eternity. And clean out the significant memories. There will be no need for them once all is finished._

A multitude of heads bowed.

_It shall be so._

In the dead of night, a swirling yellow portal appeared in an empty field just outside the Everfree Forest. Had anypony been watching, they would have witnessed a truly bizarre and disturbing sight. A two story mansion, covered with ivy and shrouded in gloom, rose soundlessly out of the portal, eventually emerging fully and surrounding itself with shrubbery, trees and a walled courtyard. Finally, a crumbling, unreadable stone sign ascended out of the ground.

Inside, preparations were nearly over, the décor being finalized. Now, unable to even remember her own given name, one of Equestria's citizens had finally come home.

_Author's Notes-_

_I know that there is a severe lack of details and names. It will all be cleared up later, hopefully. The next chapter will be longer. Thank you for taking time to read this. It is much appreciated._


	2. 1 Housebreaking

Chapter 1-Housebreaking

Twilight Sparkle gazed at the sturdy wooden door in front of her nose and took a deep breath. For two months, the old manor had stood on the Border of Ponyville, dark and foreboding. It was unsettling in a way, yet fit in the same way a Pegasus will blend in with a group of earth ponies until you looked twice. Nopony could remember how it had arrived there, but all who dared to speak of it agreed that the ominous piece of architecture had not occupied that space until two months previously. With its curtained windows and shadowed porch, the old house looked like something out of an old pony's tale, the sort told around campfires late at night and keep fillies awake long after their elders had fallen asleep. Those who were courageous enough to approach would report that it looked abandoned, but could not bring themselves to open the dark green door.

And so life continued on in Ponyville, and the house slowly passed out of gossip, assimilating itself into everyday life, although nopony would go within ten meters of it after dark. Instead of towering like some of the other buildings in the town, which practically glowed with cheer and life, the building which Twilight now found herself facing somehow felt…tragic. As though it did not belong in Equsetria, but longed to return to where it had journeyed from, and yet was unable to. Twilight Sparkle took a step towards the doorbell, then turned her head back for the support of her friends, who had remained at the gate.

What had she gotten herself into? If only she hadn't been up so late at night reading, Twilight might not be here at all, and instead of quaking here on the doorstep of an ancient looking house, might have been enjoying the day like the majority of the residents of Ponyville.

Twilight Sparkle breathed in again, and let herself be transported back to that night, exactly thirteen days back. What had she been doing? Oh yes, that was right, reading a book called _Valor_ in her bed in the library, cuddling the pillows and turning the pages, when there had been a slight movement at the edge of her field of vision. When the manor had appeared, the height of the library had given Twilight and Spike a lot of visitors who had wanted to view the new edifice without getting close. At the time, the lavender pony could hardly have blamed them, although her studies had been delayed by the whispers and speculation. The truth of the matter was that the old manor was simply creepy. It had even brought along a type of gloom that Princess Celestia's sun could not pierce through. Added with the overgrown gardens, the crumbling statues in that garden, and the way the mansion skulked at the edge if the Everfree Forest and it was something right of the horror section.

That night, Twilight had seen an unusual, perhaps unique phenomenon. As she had taken her eyes off the book to turn the page, she had allowed her gaze to wander to the window, and onto the second storey of the old manor, where she had seen something which had kept the unicorn awake until Princess Luna had lowered the moon. A pair of glowing lights had appeared for a moment in the center top window of the mansion, and the faded green curtains had moved, just for a moment. Twilight had not quite believed what she had seen at first, but an hour later, the lights had shown themselves again, causing Twilight Sparkle to shut her book hurriedly and dive beneath the covers of her bed, wanting to forget about it and yet was unwilling to go to sleep. Spike had discovered her later that morning, sleeping fitfully as the sun shone down upon Ponyville.

Since that night, Twilight Sparkle had become more intrigued by the house which had shown itself two months ago, and was now prepared to enter it, knowing that if she did not return within an hour, that Applejack, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, and Fluttershy would send for help or enter after her. At least, that was the plan. But it had also been her plan for them to wait at the doorstep for her, and the other five pones were crowded in a patch of golden sunlight just in front of the mansion's wrought-iron gate, which was overgrown with ivy. Applejack, ever the supportive one, waved to Twilight as they watched her advance to the door.

"Here goes nothing…" Twilight muttered as she raised one hoof to knock on the door, and readied the other three to bolt if something unexpected should happen. Before her hoof made contact with the wood, the door swung open silently, revealing a dark hallway lined with doors ending with a stairway to what the unicorn assumed was the second floor. What little sunlight that streamed through the doorway illuminated a dark red carpet, and several paintings on the walls, which were covered in off-white wallpaper. Twilight took a step into the house, her uneasiness growing, but still unsure of why. To distract herself from her fears, and also to stop herself from thinking of the darkened stairs at the end of the corridor, Twilight took a look at the nearest picture. It displayed, in great detail, a roughly cut black stone pillar with what appeared to be a castle balanced on the very top. The castle, although only a small part of the image, was painted with such stunning detail that it could have been a photo. As Twilight looked closer, the made out that the pillar wasn't roughly made at all, but rather had what appeared to be an obsidian serpentine dragon coiled around it, from base to top, where it met the underside of the castle. Twilight had never seen anything like it, and it gave her an odd, ominous feeling, like she was gazing at something she should not have seen. She shook her head and gradually advanced down the hallway, past paintings of a fountain, a citadel of black and red, and some things so foreign looking that even the well-read pony had no idea of what they could be.

At this point, Twilight's ears had picked up some faint sound coming from the dreaded stairs. Not only were the stairs dark, they also lined with paintings. Twilight's skin crawled at the thought of having to see any more of those mind-shaking works of, if she could bring herself to say it, art. She knew she must hurry, before her hour was up. Deciding to investigate the rooms on the first floor after the second floor, the unicorn pony shut her eyes advanced up the heavily carpeted steps as quickly as she could. Only when her hooves could no longer feel the next step in front of her did she dare open an eye. And screamed.

In front of Twilight's face was a painting. The frame was worn and scarred, but the image itself was as clear as if it had been painted a couple of hours before. The picture consisted of a black background with a pair of glowing red eyes shining maliciously through it. It had been done so realistically that the eyes seemed to be staring back at Twilight. There was a set of jagged white teeth painted in under those horrible eyes, giving the impression that there was a hideous creature grinning at her from the within the gloom, waiting for the unicorn to turn her back so that it could strike...Twilight clapped a hoof over her mouth and snapped her eyes off the terrifying painting. The stairs had deposited her in the middle of another long hallway, going ways, left and right. Up here, she could hear something faintly, but it was the same sound as the one she had heard downstairs. The right path was lined with even more paintings and stretched off into the gloom. It was exceedingly dark on the second floor, and Twilight stood there, frozen in terror and uncertainty, making sure not to look ahead of herself. The unicorn looked to the left. She noticed that the carpet there was slightly uneven, as though somepony (Or something, she thought to herself) had been using the carpet for walking, though no better lit than the right path. From the top of the step, Twilight could still see the front door, standing open invitingly. The sunlight spilling into the doorway beckoned to her, called her back to what she knew, back to her friends. Twilight looked longingly at the door, but knew in her heart that if she turned back now, she would not be able to summon the courage to return. The paintings would make sure of that, and for weeks afterwards give her nightmares. The lavender unicorn set her teeth and, making sure to avoid eye contact with the hideous picture in front of her, turned to the left.

The sounds got marginally louder, but were still no more audible than Fluttershy on a windy day. They came at short intervals, and eventually Twilight picked out a pattern in the sounds, three short sounds followed by a slightly longer one…but she was thrown out of her counting by something on the floor which her front hooves hand bumped into.

A long thin strip of black cloth lay on the carpet before Twilight Sparkle's hooves. In the dark, the fabric was only visible because it seemed to absorb all light that struck it, making it look like a thin slit in the floor. With a moment's hesitation, Twilight picked it up in her mouth and draped it over her back. It might be an interesting artifact to study, and if it wasn't, well, she'd still have a souvenir to remember this foalish expedition by. Twilight listened again, holding her breath.

There it was again, the short, irregular sounds which she now realized was a short tune being endlessly repeated on what sounded like a set of chimes. Listening to it gave Twilight a feeling of sadness and loss, as though she had been robbed of something intensely important to her identity, and was powerless to get it back. The unicorn slowly settled on her haunches, and sat there, overcome by the emotions roiling in her heart. She couldn't go on. She couldn't retreat. All she could do was sit there, mourning for that which she had lost.

Twilight Sparkle had been sitting motionless on the carpet in the dark for what felt like hours, drinking in the melancholy tune, when suddenly she realized that she was no longer sitting down, but lying on the thick red carpet and breathing in the musty smell.

_Not too bad, _Twilight thought. _How nice it would be to just lie here forever, listen to this until I die...it's beautiful. _She felt her eyes begin to close, but that was alright. She wouldn't have to see the open door in front of her, and lie here, forever and ever and ever…

_Rainbow Dash couldn't do this. _Twilight thought absent-mindedly. _She wouldn't be able to stay still. _The unicorn smiled to herself, not caring that her eyes were now completely shut. _Not at all. She probably hasn't even got the patience to sit outside one old house for one measly hour…_ An hour. Now why did that sound familiar? The thought drifted into the prone unicorn's mind like a dark cloud. She wanted to brush it away, it was stopping her from enjoying the music. Twilight began to let her mind wander once again, thinking of Princess Celestia, and the report on friendship that she would get Spike to write for her later, after she was done with dinner with her friends. When was that anyway? Rarity had been worried about her schedule, and Fluttershy had insisted on bringing Angel with her…there were so many details. Twilight's brow wrinkled as she attempted to force the thoughts out of her mind. She was alone, with nopony to look after her, nopony to…wait. That wasn't true. _I do have somepony to look after me. I'm not alone. And I have to make it to dinner or I'll be late. _Twilight's eyes opened in shock as everything came rushing back. Her friends, waiting anxiously for her at the front gate, the dinner arrangements, Canterlot, Ponyville, and most importantly, the old manor that she has so nearly been trapped by. Twilight sat up suddenly, breathing heavily, the chiming music forgotten.

In front of the unicorn's face was an open door. She remembered seeing it, but while she had been under the music's spell, hadn't registered it as anything important. The doorway was about ten meters away, and had a faint light shining from it. Twilight tried to stand up, shutting the haunting melody with thoughts of her previous adventures. She had helped defeat Nightmare Moon, exploring a small house should be easy! What had happened to the courage and resolve that she had entered the house with? And yet, getting all four hooves on the ground took more effort than she could remember, and only through slight use of magic was Twilight able to get to her feet.

_The music must be magical somehow! _Twilight realized. _It's been draining my energy while I lay there like a foal. If I stay here much longer, I won't be able to get up again…_

The idea of remaining here suddenly did not seem as attractive as it had a few minutes before. Indeed, dying here, surrounded by the unnatural darkness and the supernatural paintings was a fate that almost made Twilight bolt for the front door.

And yet she could not let herself do that. She was so close to that door, and with the adrenaline pumping through her, Twilight figured that she had about five minutes before her burst of awakeness wore off. The unicorn straightened herself up and quickly but quietly crept towards the door, noting that the chiming music increased in volume the closer she got to the door. Once there, it was a simple matter for Twilight to peep into the room, as there was a lot of room next to the wall to hide in.

The results were unimpressive to say the least. The interior of the room was decorated in such a grim selection of wallpaper that Rarity would have had cardiac arrest. There was a large table in the center of the room, and Twilight observed three long couches set around three if its edges. A silver tea set was positioned in the very center of the table, and the far wall seemed to be covered in small dull black tiles.

Upon closer scrutiny, the room was lit by what appeared to be a stone fireplace, and it wasn't doing a good job at it. Though Twilight could now clearly hear the source of the music, eternally looping, there was something else of interest in the dimly lit room. As Twilight's eyes adjusted to the different light levels in this new area, she was able to make out a large pile of darkly colored sheets piled onto the seat of the couch facing the doorway. As Twilight debated with herself whether to leave or enter the room, a peculiar sound reached her ears, so faint that she might have imagined it, and the creepy music certainly did not help her concentration. She made her decision.

_I'll go in there, take a quick look around, see what's making the music, grab it, and take it to Canterlot for study! It's probably been over an hour already, so I'd better hurry. _

Quiet as a mouse, Twilight Sparkle edged herself into the room and took in as much as she could. Just next to the door which she had entered through was a small table, and upon it, a richly carved wooden box with an open lid. In the dark, it was impossible to tell what color it was, but it looked like it was painted dark blue. The lid had a mirrored underside, and it reflected a small figurine of a spire with a castle on top…just like the one in the painting on the first floor. As Twilight watched, the figurine continued to revolve slowly while a key turned in the side of the box. A music box. As she looked at the curio, Twilight felt her strength draining away, and her mind giving way to irrational despair and lethargy once again. She swiftly bent down and tried to yank the key from its slot, but it refused to budge. Her energy draining fast, Twilight tugged the strip of black cloth from her back and jammed it into the keyhole. There was a tearing sound, and the music quickly wound down and deteriorated, fading from one last echoing chime to nothing at all.

The sudden silence scared Twilight even more than the picture at the top of the steps.

The key fell to the floor soundlessly as the unicorn pony froze on the spot and the sound of silence assaulted her ears. She turned her head and took a perfunctory scan of the room. Everything looked the same. Dark, gloomy, and likely to hide all manner of scary things, but at least the sinister music box had been silenced. She could at last explore the room in relative peace. Twilight sighed and trotted to sit on the nearest couch to rest her nerves. It was overstuffed and the unicorn's rump sank into it like a stone in a pond, but Twilight was grateful for the opportunity to rest. She closed her eyes and opened them again.

The pile of sheets that she had observed earlier moved ever so slightly. Twilight tensed up and stared, trying to detach herself from the couch. A scream rose from inside her and forced its way up to her mouth, but was stopped by her front hooves before it could escape. Twilight forced herself to calm down. Whatever was under the sheets could not be as bad as facing Nightmare Moon, and she had lived through that. Twilight's horn began to glow, and with one quick jerk of her head, lifted the sheets up and threw them to the floor. Twilight gasped.

Lying on the couch opposite of her was a pure black pegasus, her mane matted and unkempt, bandages wrapped tightly around her right foreleg from hoof to knee. She seemed to be asleep. Twilight was shocked. She had been expecting…well, it certainly hadn't been this. This was almost…normal, considering everything else that she had encountered.

Twilight was unsure of what to do. None of her books had told her what to do about waking up a sleeping pony she didn't know; then again, none of her books had said much about breaking into potentially haunted houses either. She reached over, then withdrew her foreleg. How she have reacted if she had been woken up by a stranger in her own house? Twilight assumed this strange pegasus lived here, for nopony she had ever seen before had been just a solid black color like this one. Twilight got off the couch and padded over to the slumbering pony's side to get a look at her cutie mark, maybe she could use it to guess at her identity. Twilight gently pulled the pony's wing up and looked. There, outlined in white on her flank, was a belled jester's hat, similar to the kind Twilight had seen in old storybooks. So this pegasus was a joker of some sort? Only one way to find out and, Twilight reminded herself, if she didn't hurry, her absence would cause a panic in Ponyville for sure. She reached over and, as gently as she could, nudged the sleeping black pegasus pony.

The pegasus's eyes snapped open and looked wildly around the room, her breathing became fast and irregular. Upon seeing Twilight, the pegasus pony gasped and flared her wings out, doing a backwards loop, landing behind the couch with a heavy thud.

"Okay, not what I expected." Twilight muttered after her heart rate returned to normal. She circled around the couch to find the black pony cowering behind it, staring at the lavender unicorn as though she were Nightmare Moon reincarnated. Twilight tried a smile. The pegasus whimpered and took a step back. Twilight sighed and let the smile drop. It was clear that something was wrong here, but was it because of her, the house, the paintings, or something else? Time was running out, and she couldn't risk anyone else rushing in here when she was about to get some potentially useful information, even if it was from a pony she had never met before and was clearly scaring out of her wits.

Twilight's thoughts were interrupted by a quiet "Please, please don't hurt me." The unicorn looked down at the pegasus. Tears, clear and bright, were starting to fall from her eyes, which were a startling yellow color. Almost the same shade of yellow she had seen that night thirteen days ago…

Twilight tried smiling again. "I won't hurt you," she promised. The pegasus blinked a few times and stared. "I just want to get to know you, that's all." Twilight continued.

The pegasus blinked away her tears and folded her wings halfway. "You mean, you're not here to-to kill me?"

Twilight was shocked speechless. Kill her?

"Why would I want to do that?" she spluttered. "I don't even know you, let alone want to do anything to you."

The ebony pegasus stared at her hooves and said nothing. Twilight took a small step forward, then another. All the research in the world could not have prepared her for this. Twilight regretted not taking Applejack, Rainbow Dash or even Pinkie Pie with her. They would have known how to deal with this. They were the social ones, not her.

"If you're going to kill me, just get it over with. It's cruel to mess with minds if you're just going to end them anyway." The pegasus was now standing up with her eyes shut tight. She was trying to be brave, Twilight could tell, but the trembling of her back legs betrayed the emotion. The lavender unicorn stood helplessly, then turned away. There was no time to waste, and if this black pegasus wasn't going to talk, she would just explore the rest of the house while she calmed down and realized that nopony was going to hurt, let alone kill (Twilight shuddered at the thought) her. Twilight Sparkle was almost out the door when a breath of wind from her right side, and suddenly she was knocked to the carpeted floor by a heavy object. As her eyes focused, they were met with those of the pegasus, only now they glowed. Glowed with rage and…magic? Surely no ordinary pony's eye glowed that shade of yellow.

Twilight's horn emitted a soft lavender aura, throwing off her assailant, who struck the wall and knocked a painting off. The pegasus got to her feet shakily as Twilight readied herself for a second assault, but instead of lunging the unicorn, the stranger smiled.

Twilight was now feeling extremely confused, not helped by how she had just been tackled to the floor.

"What the hay do you want?" She asked angrily. "First you act like I'm a killer, then you jump on me, then smile? What is your problem?" Twilight let the glow fade from her horn as the pegasus pawed the floor sheepishly.

"I'm sorry." The pegasus whispered. "But I just needed to know if you were really there t-to kill me or not. Now I know."

Twilight was now even more confused than when she had been entrusted with tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala.

"I don't follow…" She said slowly. "Who are you anyway?"

"It's a long st-" The pegasus began, but fell to her knees, clutching her bandaged foreleg, gritting her teeth. Dark red blood was starting to leak through, staining the carpet a darker shade. Twilight looked on with concern as the black pony spread her wings and flew to a wooden cabinet at the end of the room, withdrawing a roll of fresh white bandages from within. Gasping with pain, the pegasus redid the dressings and tied a new strip of gauze around her foreleg. Only then did she return to the floor, still wincing with discomfort. Yet despite all the drama, a faint smile had remained on her face, as though the pain pleased her somehow.

"As I was saying," the pegasus continued as though nothing had happened "It's a long story."

"Are you ok?" a concerned Twilight asked. "That looked serious. Maybe you should see a doctor; I know a Nurse Redheart back in Ponyville-"

The ebony pegasus shot her scowl. "I'm fine." She said dismissively.

"No you're not," Argued Twilight.

"Yes I am. Now did you want to hear about something or not?"

Twilight opened her mouth again to object, but shut it after consideration. The lavender unicorn felt a sense of unease creep from her stomach. Had this pegasus really been cowering and crying just moments ago? Was this some sort of test, or was there more to it than was apparent? _Well obviously there's more to it. _Twilight berated herself. _That's why I'm here. For research, and maybe for an interesting report to write to the Princess. _

"Stay here." The pegasus muttered. "I'll be right back." Then she took to the air on her feathered wings and sped out the door into the hallway. Twilight quietly walked back to the squishy sofas and repositioned herself on the one facing the door, then waited. Five minutes passed until a faint clicking sound was heard coming towards the room, heralding the arrival of the pegasus. _Whose name I don't even know, _realized Twilight, getting up as the pony's shape emerged from the gloom.

As the nameless black pegasus reentered the lounge, Twilight's eyes were drawn to a dull silver object attached to the pegasus's injured leg. It looked like a metal knee-length bracer with a claw attached to the front, which had been making the clicking as it touched the floor. The claw gleamed in what little light there was in the room, and upon closer inspection, the whole device had what appeared to be symbols etched all over its surface, leaving the claw the only unmarked spot. A sleek, shining blade, also patterned with symbols, was visible on the back side, pointing upwards toward the wearer's body, and it didn't look like it was made for cutting fruit.

"Now," the pegasus said, approaching the couches, "We can talk."

_Author's Notes_

_Mysterious pony's story next chapter. Please read and review…if you want to. It's ok if you don't.._


	3. 2 Amnesia

The Littlest Pony-Thank you for taking the time to read and review this. It means a lot to me, and I hope the rest of the story lives up to your expectations.

Chapter 2-Amnesia

Twilight Sparkle was led over to the couches by the ebony pegasus, who seemed to have recovered from the shock of a stranger breaking into her home. The lavender unicorn apprehensively followed behind the pegasus, and lay down again on the couch opposite to her. The black pegasus settled on the couch facing Twilight, and for a moment they looked at one another over the coffee table. Then the pegasus raised the foreleg covered by the clawed bracer and gestured at the table. Twilight watched with fascination as the metal claw on the front flexed like a living thing and sent a stream of blue hissing sparks at the table's surface, creating a gust of wind which ruffled both ponies' manes. When the light cleared, the table was laden with food, ranging from salt licks to cakes. The black pegasus gave a small smile. "I thought you might want something to eat while we talked." She explained. "If you need anything else, just ask."

Twilight was stunned. Never, not even in Canterlot, where magic was rampant, had anypony ever created food with magic. They had claimed it was 'too dangerous', or that 'it wouldn't work'. But this seemed to prove them wrong. Twilight filed this away for later and hesitantly tried the cup of tea that had spawned in front of her, levitating it with her horn. The tea was excellent, not too sweet, and strong enough to heighten her senses, yet relax her at the same time. Her host didn't touch anything.

The pegasus shifted her position a little, waited until Twilight was done drinking, then sat up a little straighter.

"I suppose you're wondering who I am," She began ruefully "And why I'm living in a place like this. You've seen the pictures. Not exactly nice, are they?" The pegasus chuckled a little before continuing. "I-my name-no." she shook her head, letting strands of her mane fall before her yellow eyes. "I don't remember what my name was. There's so much I don't remember…so very much I want to forget about…but I can't do either…" her voice trailed off.

Twilight was puzzled. "Hold on. Let's begin again. My name is Twilight Sparkle. What do you mean you don't remember what your name was? Do you have amnesia?"

The black pegasus gave slight, aching laugh. "I wish I did. Amnesia would be less painful. The only thing I can still call a name is what the others used to call me…they called me Veil. You can call me that. It's the only name I can still call my own." Tears began to fill the pegasus's yellow eyes once more. "But it's not what my name really is!" she half choked, half shouted. "I remember all the things I don't want to…it's horrible." Twilight gave the pegasus a moment to calm down, and after a few sniffles, she took up the story again.

"I grew up in Cloudsdale…I think. So much of my past is a blur. I remember seeing white clouds, rainbows-lots of them-and…that's it. I loved looking at them, all the colors. I wasn't always like this…" Veil used the claw attachment on her bracer to gesture vaguely at her black body. "I'm sure of it. During my last year in flight school, we went on a trip to some forest…I forget the name."

"The Everfree Forest?" Twilight offered timidly.

"That's it. It was meant to be a hooves-on experience…huh." Another ironic laugh. "We were ambushed by a group of manticores."

Twilight raised a hoof, not wanting to interrupt. "Um. I thought trips to the Everfree forest were forbidden after an incident seventy years ago where groups of pegasi were attacked by wild creatures…how did your flight school get away with that? Princess Celestia wouldn't have allowed the trip, especially after one of the students was never found. It was the first time anypony had died like that in a long time."

Veil suddenly put both her front hooves on the table with a thud, causing the silverware to jump.

"Seventy years?" she asked urgently. "Are you sure!"

Twilight nodded.

"But I was only gone for three years! They promised three years, and then I could come back to Equestria…"

"So they really thought I died." Veil murmured. "They were telling the truth…but seventy years? Then everypony I knew is…" her voice petered out at the end not wanting to finish the sentence, yet knowing the result anyway. She was clearly distressed by this piece of news, and fell silent, burying her head in her front hooves. Crystalline tears dripped out between them.

"Th-that was…you?" Twilight stammered, shocked. "but, but, you look the same age as me! How is that possible?"

Veil looked up slowly, wiping her eyes with her uninjured hoof. "Like I said," she whispered tearfully. "It's a long story. Seventy years…oh, Celestia help me."

Taking a deep breath, Veil continued her tale. "We were attacked by a group of manticores. One of them got my wing-broke it. Just as it pounced at me, I saw my life flashing in front of my eyes. I don't remember a when I ever felt so alone. Everypony else just took off…left me there." Veil bowed her head, mane obscuring her eyes. "Then, just when I thought it was all over, everything went dark. I was standing by myself in a completely black space. Then a voice spoke to me…_Now, you have a choice here._ It said. _You can either let your life continue which, by the look of it, won't be very long, or you can come with us and learn some things. How does that sound?_ The voice came from all around me, but I didn't hear it per se, I just knew what it wanted me to know…I can't explain better than that."

"So you chose to go with…whatever was talking?" Twilight asked.

Veil nodded. "There are some days when I wish I hadn't…maybe there was never any choice at all." Veil stared at the bracer on her right foreleg with anger and regret. "Maybe…maybe the pony I was really _did _die back there with the manticores. What have I become…?" The last statement hissed out through clenched teeth.

"After that, I only have short bits of memory. I guess they wiped the rest when I moved out. To be honest, I'm not sure I want to remember those parts. But it'd be nice to have the option…maybe I did. Maybe I forgot…I just don't know!"

Twilight was becoming increasingly unnerved by Veil's emotional outbreaks, but the pegasus was finally giving her answers, albeit in a roundabout and depressing manner. She discreetly looked around the room, taking in details like the wooden cabinet, the disabled music box, the cuckoo clock-_oh horseapples! _The clock was reading 4:23 PM. She had entered the house at exactly 2 AM. Oh no. _My friends have probably run all the way to Canterlot for help! What have I done? I'm late! Really late! I have to go and tell them that…I don't know what to tell them. _Twilight sneaked a glance at Veil. The black pegasus was still staring at the floor, darkening the carpet with her sadness.

"Excuse me?" The lavender unicorn said. "I have to go now. I told my friends I'd meet them outside in an hour, and it's been more than two, so…"

Veil nodded.

"Will you come back?" the distraught pegasus whispered. "It felt so good, telling someone about my life. What I remember, anyway. Please, come again." Veil's pleading eyes struck a note within Twilight's heart, which caused her to answer "Sure I will." Having elicited a smile from the pegasus, she trotted out, careful not to look at any of the pictures on the wall.

Within seconds, Twilight was out the front door, just in time to meet with a troop of gold-clad guard ponies, and her friends. Pinkie Pie leaped out and tackled her to the ground, smothering the lavender unicorn in a ferocious hug.

"Twilight!" the pink earth pony squealed "we thought you weren't ever coming out, so Dashie flew to Canterlot and told Princess Celestia what happened, and here we are! But it looks like you don't need rescuing. Oh well!"

As Twilight pushed Pinkie off of her, none of the ponies noticed a curtain at the second floor window of the old house twitch aside slightly, revealing a glowing yellow eye.


	4. 3 Hidden Motives

Chapter 3-Hidden Motives

Veil looked wistfully down at Twilight and her friends as they explained to the guards that there was no emergency. Once the party had walked out of sight, Veil moved the curtains back into place with a rough shove, blocking the view of the outside altogether. The black pegasus slowly made her way to the far wall. It was covered with paintings, all of them done with pitch-black paint, displaying swirling patterns that were barely noticeable in the room's lack of light. She reached up slowly and touched the nearest canvas with the clawed bracer. Where the metal made contact with paint, a ripple spread, moving through all the pictures as though they were connected under the frames. Once the ripples died down, a plume of black smog erupted from the center canvas, settling itself down in the middle of the room. Veil backed off and bowed, her ears drooping.

The smoke gradually solidified into an odd-looking specimen. Its head was vaguely triangular, and a red orb glowed at its center, pulsing gently. Instead of hooves, two extremely long arms extended from its sides, ending in clawed hands which poked through the smoke. Its body tapered down to nothing until there was merely a narrow cone of black smog just inches off the floor. A slight wind whisked around it, kicking up dust. A malevolent feeling emanated from it, draining what little light there was from the room and causing Veil to tremble. She swallowed, arose and walked up to it.

"I know you're angry at me for leaving. I can understand that." Veil's yellow eyes met with the crimson orb of the creature. "But you saw her. She can help me. Then you can go back. There'll be no need for you to stay anymore."

The black creature drifted up close to Veil and spoke in a sharp precise tone which communicated a feeling of deep resentment.

_I am disappointed in you for mistaking a guest for an assassin. If she were one, you would not have been given the chance to rise from your slumber. It is also an affront to our hospitality, and all that we stand for. _

The smoke creature's head rotated a full 360 degrees as its voice reverberated around the room.

_It is foolish of you to place your future on a stranger, even if it is magical. _The creature suddenly leaned in close, arching its conical body until the red orb was level with Veil's face. _You have not forgotten what happened the last time you attempted something of the sort, have you? _

Veil flinched. Unable to keep eye contact any longer, the pegasus focused her gaze on the carpet, her wings drooping. "That was different. You know they couldn't have saved me from the manticores…it wasn't their fault."

The creature responded with a derisive hiss, straightening up again.

_Very well. I exist here only to maintain the structure, not to convince you of the truth. If it so pleases you, continue to dwell in your fantasies. You always were a stubborn one._

The red eye flared suddenly. _You should not only wear a part of the set._ A smoke shrouded hand gestured at Veil's clawed bracer.

Veil stomped her hoof angrily. "You know why I can't wear the whole set! Even if I could, I wouldn't want to! I'm only wearing this for support, and if my leg didn't have a bleeding gash in it, I would put the bracer back and be done with it!"

A mocking laugh filled the room, echoing out into the hallway.

_Do not lie to me. It ill becomes you. You surely remember the feeling of _true _power? _

Veil shuffled her hooves and said nothing, hating the being before her for what it told her. This thing clearly knew where to stick the knife where it hurt the most, and how to twist it. The creature pressed the attack, snaking its long smoky body behind the pony's neck and now speaking into her right ear.

_I know you remember what you did, no matter what you told the guest. You might not know you remember, but you do. Just check your lexicon…it will help to restore some of the missing pieces. And think. If the guest ever found out, do you think…she…would stay with you? Something to think about, hmm? It's all you seem to do now, anyway. It's a dangerous pastime._

_And as for going back, we will. As soon as you agree to come back with us, of course._

The creature hissed one more time and dived back into the canvas, restoring light to the room and sending ripples across the wall. The room was silent once again.

Veil shivered, collapsed back onto the couch, and wept.

* * *

><p>"…and then, I realized that I had been exploring <em>way <em>too long, I came back out in the nick of time." finished Twilight.

She and her friends were gathered at Sugercube Corner, eating an afternoon tea of cupcakes and apple juice. All the way there, Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Rainbow Dash had peppered Twilight with questions about what had held her up so long in the house. Twilight had told them it could wait until dinner, but Pinkie Pie's increasingly ridiculous theories about the contents of the mansion had forced Twilight to move the explaining to afternoon tea instead. By dinnertime, Ponyville would have been convinced there was an army of dragons in the mansion, waiting for the right chance to attack, or something equally unrealistic. As the six of them finished the food, Twilight made it clear that she intended to go back tomorrow for more exploring. _And another talk with Veil_, she thought. There were hundreds of things she wanted to know, and Twilight had a feeling that she wasn't going to get any answers easily.

She hadn't told her friends the whole truth. She had told them about the music box, the creepy paintings, and the lounge, but had left out Veil. For some reason, Twilight just felt that she had to keep that quiet for now. After all, the poor pegasus was in a bad enough state already. She didn't need ponies breaking in every day just to find out things. And although it felt bad keeping a secret from those she trusted the most, Twilight had convinced herself that it was all for the best, and that she'd tell them eventually. Besides, they knew she was going back, right? It wasn't _exactly_ a lie.

As the party left Sugarcube Corner and went their separate ways, everypony expressed wanting to go to Twilight's and talk more, but it was evident that the purple unicorn was exhausted; by the time she reached the library, she was being half-carried, half-steered by Applejack and Rarity. The six friends parted ways for the night, and sleep came readily to all of the citizens of Ponyville.

As the sun replaced the moon in the sky, Twilight Sparkle was awoken by the alluring scent of apple crisp coming from downstairs in the library. She smiled, eyes still shut; obviously Spike was up early today and was already cooking their breakfast. The unicorn lay back in bed, still half in the land of dreams. There had been something she had been planning today…what had it been? Twilight arose groggily and looked out the window next to her bed. The old mansion loomed at her from the edge of Ponyville, eager for round two.

_Oh. Right. I'd better tell Spike that I won't be home today._

_-Author's Notes_

_Apparently staying up so late is bad for my health, so this chapter is a little shorter to make sure I sleep at a reasonable hour. Oh well. Thank you everypony for reading this. If you want to, leave a review, but I won't mind of you don't. I'll try to make the next chapter lengthier. _

_And apparently FanFiction doesn't accept certain things like scene breaks, so I'll need to reformat those._


	5. 4 You Never Forget

Chapter 4-You Never Forget

Later that morning, the interior of Ponyville's library was a blur of activity.

"Spike! If anypony drops by here tell them I'm in the Everfree Forest, ok?" Twilight called as she threw a stack of parchment and paper into her saddlebags.

"Why, are you planning a surprise party with Pinkie Pie?"

"No, Spike, I'm going to do some studying, and I don't want to be disturbed. It's very important." Twilight figured that that would suffice for an explanation, seeing as she _was _going to do some studying, and there was indeed _somepony_ that she didn't want to disturb. Almost the truth, anyway.

Not wanting to think about it anymore, Twilight left the library, trusting Spike not to burn the place down while she was gone.

The purple unicorn inconspicuously made her way to the edge of town, checking over her shoulder for any followers. One direction she did not check in however, was up. Ponyville's fastest flyer, Rainbow Dash, had been tracking her friend since she'd left the library in a hurry. Excited by Twilight's tale of exploring a spooky old house, Rainbow simply could not refuse the chance to do the same.

Twilight, blissfully unaware of her adventurous stalker, had reached the front door once again. This time, it was not nearly as imposing as it had been the day before, and the whole house didn't look haunted. She remembered reading about a phenomenon like this, but couldn't place her hoof on it at the time. She was sorting through her mental list of questions for Veil when a rainbow colored blur smashed into her, almost knocking off her saddlebags.

"Omigosh hi Twilight!" blurted Rainbow Dash. "I just _happened_ to notice that you were about to step into the scary manor again, and I was wondering _if_ you would like some company this time!" Rainbow's wings were spread out with excitement, and her eyes were huge.

"Well thanks, Rainbow, but I don't want to interrupt your busy schedule. It's really not that scary once you're inside. Didn't you have to organize a light drizzle today?" Twilight asked, thinking back to yesterday's afternoon tea.

The cyan pegasus looked up at the sky; it was clear. Maybe leaving the weather in the hooves of Derpy hadn't been perhaps the brightest Idea. But they could always make up for it later, right now, Dash had to find a way to convince Twilight to let her go into the manor with her without revealing that she was too scared to go in alone.

_I mean look at the place! _Rainbow Dash thought anxiously. _It looks like something out of Zecora's ghost stories!_ _Brr. No way I'm going in there by myself._

"Drizzle's all taken care of, Twilight." Lied Rainbow Dash. "After your story yesterday, I _really_ wanted to see what was inside, I just couldn't wait!"

"So why didn't you go in after tea time?"

Shoot. This was a good point.

"Well, I was too _tired _to go anywhere after tea, Twilight. You know how tiring weather management is…" Rainbow silently praised herself for coming up with a believable reason. Twilight bought it.

"Well…I guess you can come with me. But you have to watch yourself in there." Twilight's tone changed to a more serious manner.

Dash was confused. "I thought you said there was nothing to be afraid of in there."

Twilight looked around. There was nopony else around, so she pulled her friend in close and whispered "The manor isn't abandoned. You'll see what I mean when we're inside."

And with that reassuring statement, both ponies entered the mansion and shut the door behind them.

* * *

><p>Rainbow Dash had not been anticipating the hallway of paintings. Although she wanted to appear tough, she could not contain the fear that had exploded in her chest once she had set all her hooves on the carpet.<p>

"Twilight, this is scary. I mean look at the pictures…"

Not two steps into the hallway, Rainbow Dash had pressed herself against Twilight and stuck there, eyes darting from wall to wall. Apparently she was unnerved by the paintings on the walls. One particular one caught their eyes, one that Twilight hadn't seen the day before.

It depicted mostly a black swirl of paint with a red blob on a square canvas. Looking closer, Twilight could see that it was a painting of a monster of some kind, with a singular crimson eye. Rainbow Dash was right: it definitely gave off a bad aura. The unicorn steered her friend away from the portrait and towards the steps.

Behind them, the eye in the painting slowly roved around and watched the pair silently.

* * *

><p>"Now don't look at the top of the steps," Twilight warned. "There's a terrible picture at the top, and you do <em>not <em>want to see it."

"The whole place is full of terrible pictures." whispered back Rainbow Dash. "What makes this one different?"

"Trust me. Don't look."

Rainbow Dash couldn't help it. As they reached the top of the steps, Twilight kept her gaze on the floor. Rainbow Dash looked up. And screamed. The painted red eyes and shining sharp teeth gazed back at the cyan pegasus, mocking her with their smile. Twilight quickly shoved a hoof into her friend's mouth.

"I told you not to look!" she hissed.

Rainbow Dash's pupils were dilated, and her wings were sticking straight up, feathers ruffled. She sank to the floor.

"I'm not sure I wanna go on, Twi. It's so scary here…how could you stand it, especially with that creepy music box you told us about yesterday?"

Twilight knelt down next to the distraught pegasus. "It _was _scary, Rainbow. But I thought of all of you, my friends, and that gave me the courage to stand up again." She smiled. "Come on, Rainbow. You wanted to join the Wonderbolts, right?" at the mention of her heroes, Rainbow Dash stopped shaking quite as hard and looked up at Twilight's caring face. "Think about them. And remember, the pictures are just that: pictures. They can't hurt us. Just laugh, like back in the Everfree Forest!" She gave Rainbow Dash a wide grin to illustrate her point.

Twilight's words of encouragement counteracted the evil presence of the painting and Rainbow Dash arose, determination burning in her dark pink eyes.

"They can't hurt us." She repeated. "Thanks Twilight. If it wasn't for you, I'd have just chickened out there and quit. The Wonderbolts wouldn't accept a quitter. Now, who actually _lives_ in here! They'd have to have nerves of steel just to last the night!"

At the end of the hall, there was a rustling noise, but Twilight knew what was making it.

"Who, you ask? She's right there."

* * *

><p>The two friends entered the lounge, which was better lit than it had been yesterday, but there was still barely enough light to read by. Twilight wondered how anypony could live in the dark like this for a day, let alone the two months that the house had been here in Ponyville. Come to think of it, she really hadn't got much out of yesterday's meeting. That was partly why she was back today, to get some concrete information.<p>

Veil was sitting up on the same couch as the day before, yellow eyes glowing softly in the gloom, her bracer catching what little light there was. The table was once again laden with food, but there was an odd smell in the air that clashed with the pleasant image before Twilight and Rainbow's eyes.

"Good morning, Twilight Sparkle." The ebony pegasus said softly. "I can't tell you how happy I am just to see you again. I thought you wouldn't come back." Veil's eyes drifted to the wall covered with black pictures.

"How did you know we were coming? You even had time to set things up again."

"I heard a scream, like yesterday, except this time I decided to expect a visitor rather than a foe. I'm glad I did."

"Oh, and you brought a companion. I'm sorry I can't shake your hoof, my foreleg can't hold much weight." The bandages wrapped around Veil's right foreleg, at least the ones visible through the metal plates of the bracer, were completely drenched with her blood; some of it had even leaked out and stained the surrounding metal with dark patches.

Twilight stepped forward. "You really should get that looked at…" she began, but she was cut off by Rainbow Dash as she hopped over to Veil.

"Wow!" You live here? That's like, so brave and scary at the same time! What's your name? What happened to your leg?"

Twilight pulled her away before she got too close. This time, they would do it properly.

"Rainbow Dash, this is Veil. Well, that's what she remembers her name to be anyway. Veil, this is my friend Rainbow Dash."

Veil smiled at Rainbow Dash and gestured for the visitors to sit down.

"Nice to meet you, Rainbow Dash. I've looked forward to meeting the pony in charge of the weather for a long time."

Rainbow grinned. "That's me! The one and only Rainbow Dash, the fastest flier in Equestria!" Twilight rolled her eyes at that statement. "Do you really live in this spooky old house?"

Veil gave Rainbow Dash a cup of tea as she began to explain.

"Yes, I do live in this house, and yes, it is spooky. And it torments me every day."

"You mean all those pictures?" Rainbow asked as she tried the tea. Twilight took notes while she listened, sketching the room on a sheet of paper.

"Partly, but the pictures are mostly harmless. What I really hate about this house is-hhhnngg!" Veil suddenly tensed up, clutching at her right leg in pain; it had begun to bleed, dripping onto the furniture.

"Please…excuse…me…for a moment." She gasped before staggering to the wooden cabinet and withdrawing some fresh bandages and pulling off the clawed bracer. Twilight and Rainbow were soon at her side, concerned for their host's safety. As the bandages came off, the pair were shocked at the state the leg underneath was in. There were long, thin slices running from the hoof to past the knee. Some of them were nearly healed over, but there were also fresh-looking cuts. In more than one place Twilight saw the white glint of bone in the ravaged flesh.

A pair of malevolent red eyes faded out of the center portrait on the wall, and vanished as quickly as it had come.

"Veil. I know you don't want to, but you _have_ to get that cut examined. It's killing you." Twilight stated plainly.

"Twi's right." Rainbow Dash agreed. "It looks really painful, and by the look of it, you've been hurt for a while." It was true. While not visible at first due to the gloom, once Rainbow Dash's eyes had adjusted, she had seen dark stains all over the floor, even leading out the door to the hall.

The black pegasus did not answer until her leg was once again bound in white gauze and the bracer was back in place. She looked at Rainbow and Twilight with sorrow in her yellow eyes.

"You're right. I should leave. I want to leave." She whispered. "But I can't."

The other two ponies leaned in closer, trying to catch the quiet words from Veil's mouth.

"I'm not like you two. I've been gone seventy years, Twilight. You know that. Everypony I knew is dead and gone. Nopony here knows me, and me looking like this, I doubt they'd want to."

She gestured at her own ebony coat and mane.

"There are also _things_ keeping me in here. I can't go out the door. It hurts too much."

"What do you mean?" Twilight asked.

"There's a music box on that table near the door. Whenever I get close to the door, it plays music which makes me remember…terrible things…and it won't stop until I get away from the door."

"Well actually, I stopped the music box-" Twilight began only to be interrupted by her cyan friend.

"What kind of things?" Rainbow Dash asked excitedly. Veil twitched and clenched her teeth.

"Things you shouldn't know!" Veil suddenly screamed, causing Twilight and Rainbow to jump back, the latter taking to the air. Veil's breathing grew harsh and ragged.

"I've done things nopony should ever do. I've seen things nopony should ever see. It's…better…if I just stay here, away from everypony else." She bowed her head and began to walk away from the cabinet, bracer clicking against the floor with each other step.

"I'm ashamed to call myself a pony after looking at what I remember. I consider myself very lucky to even have met you two. I can only look out at the world at night, when nopony is out to look back at me." Veil's wings drooped slowly from her sides. "If you want to leave now, I wouldn't blame you." She sniffled. "I don't deserve your company."

Rainbow Dash slowly approached the distraught pegasus and tentatively laid a hoof on her shoulder.

"That's not true." The cyan pony said softly. "Everypony deserves some friends, no matter what they've done wrong, as long as they're sorry about it, right Twilight?" Rainbow looked over to her unicorn friend for support.

"That's right. Maybe we can help you, Veil. Maybe we can get you out of here." Twilight offered.

"You can't. They wouldn't let you-"

"Who are 'they'?" Rainbow asked, moving to look Veil in the eyes. "Is there somepony else living in here?"

Veil turned and gave both her guests the grimmest look they had seen since the Elements of Harmony had been stolen by Discord.

"No." She muttered.

But her eyes spoke differently.

_-Author's Notes_

_Finally done with this chapter. Thank you again for reading it, unless you skipped to the ending. But either way, if you want leave a review, why not? I mean, you've already written one in your head._


	6. 5 House Call

EpicBrony and skullcrusher206- Thank you for taking time to review this, and I hope you find this chapter satisfactory.

5-House Call

"Her mind is broken." Twilight concluded.

She and Rainbow Dash had been holed up in the library for nearly three hours now, looking up every psychological problem that Twilight had secretly diagnosed Veil with after they had left the manor. Twilight was secretly furious with herself. She had been with Veil for more than two hours, and had barely gotten a single question on her list out!

"Say what?" Yawned Rainbow. She was extremely bored, never having been much of a book pony, and being forced to read all these dull books was more effective than listening to Fluttershy sing a lullaby to her.

"She hates living in that house, but can't leave for whatever reasons she won't tell us. Having to stay in such a stressful environment has caused her mind to snap." Continued Twilight. "Veil is suffering from-"

"Insanity?" proposed Rainbow. "Did you see her leg? It was torn up like nothing I've ever seen! What do you think happened to it?"

"That's one of the major factors, Rainbow. We need to get her leg treated, but Veil refuses to see a nurse, and she's afraid of going outside for some reason. If not for her sanity, then for her health. It seems to have got worse over one single night." She slammed shut _The Mind and Magic_, one of her personal favorites_._

Rainbow Dash leaped into the air. "And then we bring her outside, where she'll be out of that creepy house!"

Twilight grinned as she grabbed a quill and parchment. They had a plan to hatch, one that would hopefully shed some light on Veil's character and solve the mystery of her house, while helping the poor resident to get out.

* * *

><p>Veil hated talking to the pictures. Not only were they frightening to look at, but they knew exactly how to silence her.<p>

_You nearly gave our existence away. Not a wise move. _The red orb locked onto the pony's face.

"I-I don't care anymore. I don't want to live here anymore."

_You have little choice in this matter. The superior requires you to stay here._

"WHY?" Veil shouted_. "_Why did you lie to me? You promised that once my time was up, I could go back to the place I came from! Those were your _exact words!_ Why am I seventy years ahead? Why did you break your promise?"

_We did not. Are you not in close proximity to where you were found?_

"Yes, but I'm in the wrong time! Everypony I knew is gone. This isn't where I came from!"

_It is. This just isn't _when_ you came from. There's a difference._

"But, I thought…" Veil was shocked speechless by this new fact. She could not believe she had overlooked such a simple error, and it had cost her everything. "You should have known…" she whimpered. "that I wanted to go back to when I came from…"

Laughter rang through the house, the kind of laughter that revels in the misery of others. It was the kind of laughter that nopony wants to ever hear.

_You should have asked. _

* * *

><p>"You want me to, what?" Fluttershy asked timidly. She had been approached at her cottage by Rainbow Dash and Twilight Sparkle in the middle of feeding some of her animal friends. They were now hiding in a large bush, invisible from the outside.<p>

"We need you to come with us into the old mansion at the edge of Ponyville." Twilight whispered. Fluttershy's eyes grew wide and she began to think of all the things she had imagined had happened to Twilight two days previous. Everything had turned out alright, but the prospect of going into the house herself was something else entirely. It was just too frightening to imagine, especially after hearing about the paintings on the walls. Those sounded far too chilling for her; she'd actually had nightmares after hearing those tales.

"I-I don't think I could," the shy pony answered. "Your story made it sound so scary and dark inside, I don't think I'm brave enough." She moved to exit the shrubbery. "Maybe you could get somepony else to help you."

Her progress was stopped by a cyan hoof on her soft, pink tail.

"That's just it, Fluttershy," insisted Rainbow Dash "only you can do this right, because you're the kindest pony we know."

Fluttershy looked puzzled by this last statement. "What does that have to do with exploring an abandoned house?" she asked.

The other two looked at each other. This was the unreliable part of the plan, whether to reveal Veil's existence to Fluttershy or not. On one hoof, if she found out the house was occupied, it might make her less afraid of the ghastly interior decorating. But on the other, she might be too shy to see who ever lived in the house, and would refuse all the more. They had to decide: to tell or not to tell?

Fluttershy looked at her friends expectantly. "Why are you just standing there? Is there something I should know?"

They decided to risk it. "Fluttershy, the truth is, the old manor is not _quite_ abandoned." Twilight confessed.

"But you said-"

"I know what I said. I left some bits out, that's all."

Rainbow Dash giggled. "You mean left out half the story, Twi?"

Twilight gave the cyan pegasus a look of irritation before turning back to Fluttershy.

"Okay, a lot of bits. But you have to know this. The pony inside that house needs help, and we have to keep it quiet."

"Why?"

"If we send for a doctor, eventually all of Ponyville will know that the house is occupied, and they'll go visit." Twilight said bluntly.

"Why is that bad?" Fluttershy wanted to know. "Aren't visitors usually good?"

Twilight sighed. "Maybe you need to see her before you decide if visitors are good or not."

Fluttershy's curiosity had been aroused by this whispered talk, but would it be enough for her to overcome her fear of scary things?

"Will…will you come with me?" the yellow pegasus asked nervously.

"Of course!" smiled Rainbow Dash. "We'll be there every step of the way, Fluttershy, don't you worry. It'll be awesome!"

Twilight smiled, but knew that this whole plot would be anything but awesome.

"Alright, we'll go in at evening."

Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash gulped at the same time.

"Evening?" Rainbow gasped.

* * *

><p>Fluttershy fared better than Rainbow Dash, surprisingly, only letting out a soft "oh my" at the first pictures. Although she became more and more apprehensive as they journeyed up the steps, the yellow pony managed to obey Twilight and Rainbow's warnings and not look at the horrific painting at the top of the steps. All things considered, thought Twilight, this was going better than expected.<p>

Then Fluttershy screamed, a shrill cry in the darkness.

The other two whipped around to see what the matter was. Fluttershy had trodden in a puddle of blood. She was now gazing at her hoof with a mixture of horror and shock, looking as though she wanted nothing more in the world than to fly out the front door. She started hyperventilating, filling the hallway with the sound of her rapid breathing.

A familiar voice drifted from the lounge room at the end of the corridor. "Twilight? Is that you?" A clicking sound confirmed the voice's owner as Veil herself staggered out of the lounge toward the trio gathered in the hall. The black pony seemed even worse then she had been the day before. Even in the nighttime environment, there were obvious tearstains on her face, and her mane was even more tousled than before, some of it falling over her face. The bandages, dirty and bloodstained, stood out in the dark from inside the similarly fouled bracer. Twilight stepped forward. Something had to be done now. This was why they were here.

"Veil, this is my friend Fluttershy." Twilight began. "We're here to help you."

"Yeah! Fluttershy can help fix that leg-" Rainbow Dash was cut off by Fluttershy bending forward to survey the black pegasus's leg.

"Oh dear." She said with concern. "How long have you been like this?"

"I really don't need help." Veil said stonily.

"Yes you do," countered Twilight. "and we're not leaving until you accept that." She planted her hooves on the carpet and stared Veil straight in the eyes.

"_No, _I-" Veil opened her mouth to argue back, but was distracted by Fluttershy gently loosening the bracer and laying it on the carpet.

"Oh Twilight, why didn't you tell me earlier? This won't be easy to heal." Then to Veil, "Don't worry. Everything will be just fine, you'll see." She began to unwrap the dirty bandages carefully, making sure not to cause any unnecessary pain. She breathed in sharply upon seeing the limb within, this was indeed serious. Through the whole process, Veil had stared in disbelief from Fluttershy to Twilight to Rainbow Dash, her mouth half open and eyes starting to moisten. The mare couldn't keep quiet anymore.

"Why?" she asked softly. "You hardly know me, and yet you're all willing to come in here and help me. I've never seen anything like it. I-I don't know what to say." Tears coursed down her face again, but they were tears of joy rather than those of grief. "I don't deserve this."

"Stop saying that." Insisted Rainbow Dash as she examined a Fluttershy's work. The yellow pegasus was now cleaning the wound, applying a thick layer of antiseptic cream. "Everypony deserves love and care, no matter what you did. That's over now." She moved in to hug Veil, and was soon joined by Twilight, the two of them embracing this company-deprived pony as tenderly as they could. All too soon, Fluttershy straightened up and put her materials back into her saddlebags.

"Now, Veil, that should be good for three days, but you need to stay off that leg. Use your wings to get around, okay? Everything's going to be fine."

Veil gazed at the floor, then at the masterfully done dressings. She tentatively flexed her foreleg back and forth and put the bracer back on.

"Thank you, Fluttershy, for coming with Twilight. And thank you, everypony, for wanting to be my friends."

They gathered around for a hug, the chill of the hallway banished by the fire of friendship.

* * *

><p>In a seemingly empty part of the manor, the creature from the painting was conversing with the shadows in the room.<p>

_The situation continues to worsen. More interlopers are entering the structure, and our mark is regaining her memory. It may be time to try a different strategy._

White teeth glinted in the darkness for a split second, exposing a nightmarish grin.

_**Perhaps you are right. **_


	7. 6 Freedom

Chapter 6-Freedom

-continued from the previous chapter…-

_**Perhaps you are right…it is time to remind the mark of the measure of our power. **_

_Then I may disable the perimeter enchantments?_

The shadows darted around the room, passing through the sparse furnishings.

_**Temporarily. **_

* * *

><p>"We've been thinking Veil, if you really were gone seventy years, maybe Rainbow Dash could look in the old flight school yearbooks and look for who you used to be,"<p>

This idea was voiced by Fluttershy a little after the clock had struck 10 PM and all four ponies were gathered around the coffee table in the lounge, enjoying each other's presence. They had been discussing various topics, including when they would next meet. The ponies had agreed on once a week, if they had the time. In return, Veil had agreed to tell them what she could recall from her previous existence. After she had disclosed that there was a seventy year time gap between her and her guests, everypony had tried to come up with a way of finding out Veil's true name and color, short of asking the Princess. They would save that as a last resort.

Veil chewed swished her tail as she thought aloud. "And these yearbooks are still in Cloudsdale? They haven't been moved?" A spark of hope glimmered on the ebony pony's face as she considered the idea of regaining her memory.

"Of course not!" Rainbow Dash assured. "I walked past those shelves every day for four years when I was in flight school! They're in the top level of the second shelf from the door. Me and Gilda used to laugh at the funky hairstyles they had back then." Rainbow's expression grew a little more somber upon mentioning her griffon ex-friend. She wished they could meet again so they could hang out like they used to, even if Gilda had been a bit mean the last time they'd spoken. She shook her head to clear the clouds, so to speak, and initiated the next part of the plan that she and Twilight had hatched in the library.

"But we can't borrow yearbooks. They're school property. You'll have to come with us and look at them yourself, because we have no idea what you looked like before. You've got to help us confirm your identity. "

Veil jumped. "You mean…outside?"

"Yep. Outside. Just a short flight to Cloudsdale, and a quick trot to the school! Easy as one, two, three."

"I could really go outside? See Cloudsdale again?" Veil's eyes teared up at the thought of seeing her hometown again.

Twilight chimed in. "And it'll do you good to stretch your wings, Veil. You said you haven't been out since you got back to Equestria! Let Rainbow and Fluttershy show you around a bit! It'll be fun!"

"But what about the music box? It starts up whenever I try to leave. It'll be sure to do the same now."

Twilight gave Veil a smug grin and pointed at the now jammed music box, still with the strip of black cloth in its internal mechanisms. There was no doubt that it would not play anything for a very long time.

"We'll try this, Veil. We'll escort you to the door, and protect you from the pictures."

"That's step one." Added Rainbow Dash helpfully.

"Then," continued her lavender friend, "you try to take a step out the front door. If nothing happens, then it's safe. It's logical!"

Veil was a little unsure. "What if it does hurt?" she asked.

"Then Fluttershy, who will be sitting outside, will just give you a push back in. After all, you'll just be one step out, right?"

Veil looked out the open window at the half moon in the sky, still young and fresh. An encouraged smile blossomed on her oft-depressed face.

"Can we go tonight? Please?"

The three others exchanged grins. Rainbow and Twilight because their plan was working, and Fluttershy because she didn't like to see anypony sad.

"Sure we could, Veil." Rainbow was already plotting the fastest route there.

Veil held up a hoof.

"As long as I get back before sunrise. I can't look at the sun, it hurts."

"Yeah, of course!" said Rainbow, too excited about a midnight adventure to ask why. "Then it's settled. Let's go!"

* * *

><p>Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Twilight had been waiting at the front door for almost half an hour. Veil had insisted that she needed something for the trip, and had plunged into the dark right-side passage before anypony could object.<p>

"If she doesn't come out soon, we won't make it tonight. I'll be tired enough as it is tomorrow." Rainbow was saying to Twilight. Then there was the familiar clicking sound of metal on thin carpet that announced Veil's arrival. Both her wings were extended, and on them something gleamed in the moonlight than streamed through the door.

On the edge of her wings, the side which faced her front, there was a pair of curved blades, designed to lie flat on the wing when in flight. Twilight also noted that in a fight, those blades could be used for a quick run past an opponent, and extending them, causing slash damage. The blades were adroitly made just to fit, and were mounted on a segmented base to allow for folding.

Veil gave her wings a few experimental flaps. "I'm ready."

She hesitantly put her armored hoof out the door a fraction, then withdrew it, as though afraid of something jumping out and eating it. When nothing happened, she took her other hoof and set it on the shadowed path outside. This process evolved until the black pegasus, tail and all, was out in the shadow of the mansion. No music played. No monsters jumped out at the ponies. The door swung shut behind them with a _click_.

'_Funny.' _Twilight noticed. '_it didn't click before…'_

Veil looked around at the sleeping Ponyville, her yellow-eyed gaze moving from wonder to wonder as fast as she could take the sights in. The trees, the buildings, the starry night sky.

"It's marvelous…" she breathed. "I'd forgotten how beautiful the world was."

And she smiled, letting the moonlight soak into her heart and soul.

Twilight gave her a full two minutes before coughing politely.

"Veil? Not to interrupt you or anything, but you wanted to take a look at the yearbooks?"

"Oh, yes!" Veil snapped out of her trance and turned to the other two pegasi. "Can we go now?" Rainbow Dash gave a brash grin and streaked off into the midnight sky, trailing a radiant rainbow in her wake. Fluttershy took off after her, and was quickly hidden by some clouds that happened to be conveniently nearby.

Veil cast a grateful look at Twilight, and without a word, launched herself up after the others into the welcoming night.

* * *

><p>As the three pegasi vanished from view, Twilight turned back to the old manor. All this time, she had only been in the entrance hall and the lounge room on the second floor. Now was her chance, with the resident gone, to explore the place for real. She pushed the door gently, allowing moonlight to flood inside once more. For a moment, she could have sworn that instead of the usual dark carpet, the floor had been changed to a checkerboard pattern. But after a heartbeat, everything seemed to be in order, the carpet back to the usual drab shade. Once inside, the lavender unicorn noticed one more thing that was off. There were now candles mounted on the walls, and they burned with a fierce blue light, illuminating the hall with an eerie light. When she leaned in to examine them further, Twilight realized that they gave off no heat at all, and that the candleholders were imprinted with symbols. Then the front door slammed shut and there was a sudden noise…<p>

_**Ahhhhh…..**_

The sound was so abrupt and unexpected in the silence that Twilight leapt into the air and came down with her horn glowing, ready to ward off anything that might jump out at her. As she looked around, the portraits on the walls which she had her back to changed to match the one at the top of the steps, all with the same nightmare grin and slanted red eyes, changing back instantly when the unicorn faced them again. Then abruptly, everything changed once more…

* * *

><p>Twilight opened her eyes groggily. There was a slight pain in her head, and she felt dizzy and sore. She looked around her, trying to make sense of her surroundings before actually getting up.<p>

It was dark around her, but up ahead, not two meters away, was a glowing circle of blue light. A pony appeared to be standing in the circle, completely still. Making as little movement as possible, Twilight surveyed the rest of the room. Not much else was visible, until she saw the door behind her, about two feet from her tail. Twilight considered bolting for the door, but her experience of her first visit stayed her hooves. Perhaps there was somepony else who wanted a friend, but was too scared to move?

She picked herself up and moved cautiously toward the circle. Upon nearing the circle, Twilight was surprised to discover that it was in fact just a mannequin, like the ones Rarity used in the Carousel Boutique to model her dresses, but made of some dark material she could not identify. It was a little larger, and had two wings attached to the sides, making it a pegasus facsimile. As she stepped closer, one of her hooves entered the circle. With no warning, an orb of electric blue light appeared inched from her nose, crackled for a moment, then subsided revealing a book. It was thick, leather bound, and slightly stained at the edges.

Twilight stared at the hovering book before her face and then at the open door. Then the book flipped open on its own, displaying the neatly written message in the front cover:

_Dear Veil,_

_We are sorry to hear that you will soon be departing. It has been an absolute pleasure working with you for the past few years, and we will always remember you as one of our better associates. As a token of our companionship, we would like to give you your basic equipment to remember us by. Please also take your lexicon with you. The journey home may be turbulent, and you may find looking at pictures and writings of home comforting. Keep in mind that the lexicon may react differently to you once you renounce your allegiances. May we meet again. Wishing you all the best with your new existence, S. _

The book closed slowly, revealing a title that had not been there before: 'Lexicon' printed in elegant, flowing black ink. Twilight tried to open the tome, but it refused to show itself to the unicorn. She could see the pages, slightly uneven, shuffling against each other, but for whatever reason, neither magic, hooves, not even her teeth could find purchase between the pages. They kept slipping off.

Without warning, the room brightened gradually (but with no clear light source, Twilight noticed with some bewilderment), illuminating the mannequin. It was clad in dark gray flanged armor, but it was not the heavy type worn by Celestia's royal guard. This was light armor, designed for mobility. And fear. The faceplate had a clearly draconic design, and the legs ended with claws made for ripping and gripping. There was a blade set under the left foreleg's bracer, the right one was missing. The wings were also uncovered, although they had much less dust on them than the rest of the set, indicating recent use. The entire ensemble was carved with symbols that all merged into one another, weaving an endless maze for Twilight's eyes.

The letter. This had to be Veil's basic equipment. But what pony would make something so deadly? Even Celestia's royal guards didn't take up arms unless they had no other choice; that was something she had learned during her stay in Canterlot. This set though…it was clear that whoever had made it had put speed and ability to deliver pain at the top list of priorities. It was streamlined, and covered with sharp edges. It even had a covering for a pony's tail, which ended with a barbed tip. And more importantly, why had Veil taken the wing blades with her? Actually, now that she thought of it, Twilight wondered why Veil didn't just use a regular splint for her leg rather than a piece of weaponry. This house was certainly full of mysteries, but not like the kind she loved to read about at night. No, this wasn't a how-do-pegasi-walk-on-clouds-happy kind of mystery, oh no. _This_ was a oh-no-where-did-that-angry-dragon-come-from-bad kind of mystery. The more Twilight thought about the entire affair, the more she felt like she should write a letter to the Princess and ask her about it.

"I'll get Spike to write one after I get back." She decided. "Oh? What's this?"

There was a piece of ragged parchment tucked into the chest plate. Twilight tugged it out with magic and smoothed it until it was readable. There wasn't much to read, and many of the words were smudged or burned off the scrap altogether.

_CAU-_

_Use of V-y-s -or may result in_

The note ended looked back at the lexicon floating before her, and in the light, saw what the stains were.

Even more bloodstains. Veil had been here, and judging from the lighter shade, she had been here not too long ago. Twilight shook her head. Some things, she decided, needed to be straightened out. For one thing, finding bloodstains all over the place was getting old. And a little gross.

_Author's Notes_

_This chapter was more difficult to write and check, compared with the ones before this. Thanks for reading, and if it pleases you, leave a review. But you don't have to. _


	8. 7 The Records

-_Author's notes_

_This chapter needed major editing, and I had to finish an essay for class. Anyway, here's the new chapter._ _I should stop waiting until 2 AM to write this stuff._

Chapter 7-The Records

"Now Veil, I know it's your first time outside, so we need to keep a low profile. We can take you out to Cloudsdale tomorrow, but right now, what we need are those yearbooks."

Rainbow Dash analyzed the flight school's structure as she said this, looking for a way in. She hadn't been this close to the school in years, and it held a lot of memories for her and Fluttershy. Most of them had been good, some of them had been bad. Here, she had pulled off her very first Sonic Rainboom. Here, she and Fluttershy had earned their cutie marks. And here, supposedly, was the key to unlocking Veil's past identity. Surprisingly, she was eagerly compliant about not wandering off on their mission.

_Weird. _Thought Rainbow Dash. _You'd think she'd be more excited to be back in her hometown after seventy years. But she keeps watching the horizon like she's waiting for something…hmm._

All they had to do was break in without alerting anypony of their intentions, make it to the library, and read through a whole shelf of yearbooks.

Simple.

Veil was still blown away by the outside world that she had been away from for so many years.

"It's so…open. There's no limit to how far I could fly…" she murmured as she looked at the moon and the stars.

Fluttershy, however, was uneasy about coming to Cloudsdale at night, and even more apprehensive about doing something potentially illegal. What if they were thrown into a dungeon? Or banished from Equestria? Or thrown into a dungeon in wherever they were banished to? Who would take care of her animal friends? What if-

Fluttershy's ruminations were stopped by a cyan hoof dragging her into a nearby stack of clouds. Inside, Veil and Rainbow Dash were already planning the break in.

"Shh." Rainbow whispered. "The guard is changing shifts soon. That's when we sneak in through the science lab window, down the hall, and into the library. That should give us ten minutes before the new guard shows his face. Okay?" Without waiting for a response, Rainbow Dash gave a mischievous grin and zipped out of the cloud. The other two ponies had no choice but to follow. As they left their hiding spot, the front door to the flight school opened and a drowsy-looking brown pegasus walked out, idly scratching his beard. After muttering about getting some sleep at last, he extended his wings and flew off.

Rainbow Dash waved at her companions and rounded the corner of the school until they came to a window that was left partially open.

"It's always unlocked because of the fumes," Rainbow explained. "Gilda and me used to sneak in all the time to get dyes for our pranks."She smiled at the memories of pulling pranks at school, then her expression soured as she remembered how much Gilda had changed. Maybe one day, they could make up and be friends again. But since Rainbow Dash had no idea where Gilda had gone, that seemed unlikely.

"Um…Rainbow Dash? Are you feeling okay?" Fluttershy asked. "I thought…well…you said we only had ten minutes…and well…" she let her voice trail off.

"Oh right!" the cyan pegasus pushed thoughts of Gilda away and pulled the window up completely. A faint chemical smell wafted out. It smelled like burning paper and rainwater on hot stone, mixed with the ever stereotypical rotten eggs scent. Without another word, all three ponies held their breaths, and one by one, flew inside the school.

Inside, they were greeted by rows and rows of beakers, hot plates, test tubes, and crates. Whoever had used the lab last had clearly not cleaned up after themselves. The place looked like a tornado had blown through it; Rainbow Dash suspected that that had actually happened. Rookies. You just couldn't trust them with big-scale weather. And sometime they messed up small things too…

"I don't remember this room." Veil stated after taking a good look around. "Wasn't the science lab on the other side of the academy?"

Fluttershy gave her a puzzled look. "But...It's been here for as long as the teachers have been here. Maybe you're thinking of seventy years ago?"

"It's changed so much…" the black pegasus mused. She cantered up next to Fluttershy and spoke out the side of her mouth, her yellow eyes darting around, looking for…something.

"I have to ask." She said suddenly. Fluttershy turned her head to Veil, concern in her blue eyes as she awaited the question." Do you know where my parents are? The last thing I remember was waving goodbye to them before our class departed." Her eyes filled with tears, glistening in the darkened hallway. "Please. I have to know; it's been one of the only things keeping me going all those years."

Fluttershy didn't know what to say. "Veil…um…if you've really been gone seventy years, then your parents are…I'm sorry…"

"I know they're gone." Veil whispered sorrowfully. "I just want to see-to see if they remembered me before they…died. Not a day has gone by without me thinking of mom and dad." She began to cry silently, leaving two glittering trails on her dark face. "I'm alone in the world. I don't even know who I am anymore. I know that if I can see my parents again, then I'll be able to leave the world with no regrets." Veil roughly wiped her face with her left hoof, taking shuddering breaths.

Fluttershy stopped and nuzzled Veil, who withdrew slightly before leaning closer. "Don't worry, Veil." The pastel yellow pony murmured, stroking her companion's tangled mane gently. "It'll be fine. We'll find out where your parents are after we get this done. I promise."

Veil held Fluttershy tightly, as though afraid she would disappear suddenly. "Please don't leave me, Fluttershy." She spoke like a little filly who had just suffered a bad dream.

"I won't." Fluttershy whispered back. "Now, let's find out your past, shall we? Rainbow's almost left us behind."

As they quietly walked down the abandoned hallways, Veil pondered the brief exchange that had just happened.

_My past…_she thought, her mouth set in a grim slash. _I hope they never find out about that. I hope nopony ever finds out. I…I did what I needed to do. That's all. I never meant for all that to happen. _

Her mind jumped unbidden to the one-eyed creature from the manor. She could see it in her mind's eye, hear its terrible penetrating voice.

_If the guest ever found out, do you think…she…would stay with you?_

Veil shuddered involuntarily, unfolding and folding her wings. No. They must never find out. Not about what happened while she was gone. She would rather die.

* * *

><p>Back at Ponyville's library, Twilight was camped in her study with several books on paper restoration and the note from Veil's armor. After reading up on how to restore smudged text, the lavender unicorn focused her mind and let loose a pulse of magenta magic from her horn at the note. This spell, according to the book, would get all the ink back to its former solidity.<p>

The spell struck the note, fizzled, and went out. The note stayed as smudged and burned as it had before. Twilight tried again, this time taking more care in how she cast the spell, and was rewarded with the exact same result. After three more tries, Twilight gave up and scowled at the note.

_CAU-_

_Use of V-y-s -or may result in_

It didn't tell her much. Although Twilight was sure that it was a warning of some sort, she had no idea what a 'V-y-s -or' was, or what using it could result in. Twilight pondered over this, then decided to do some research on the topic, starting with the 'V' Encyclopedia.

The unicorn studied long into the night, completely oblivious to what she had done in the old manor…

* * *

><p>In the old mansion, dry, scratchy whispering resonated throughout the entire building.<p>

_The mark continues to regain her memory, in spite of all the precautions. Moreover, an artifact has been removed from the mark's vessel._

The creature's red eye glowed brighter with anger, but subsided when a cloud of roiling shadows pressed close to it, then parted slightly to show off a set of razor sharp teeth.

_**You failed to see that from the beginning. Had you taken notice, it would have been possible to block out any interference. Now it is too late for that. If the task set for us is not complete by the ordained time, I will crush your soul, regardless of your usefulness to me. Do you understand?**_

_I understand completely._

The creature drifted back towards the lounge, and dived back into the wall of paintings, leaving the dark void alone.

_**There is no tolerance for failure in our business. We must move on to the next stage of precautions. Proceed, and repair the music box. In any case, it needs to be improved. Make it more difficult to disable.**_

* * *

><p>The school library was a mess. Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy and Veil had been pulling yearbooks off the shelves and reading them as fast as they could, but time was running short. By Fluttershy's reckoning, they had spent almost seven minutes in the library, and they still had not found anything. More than once Veil had to be dragged away from a part of the school that she missed and wanted to catch up with.<p>

"This is a lot harder than I thought it would be," grumbled Rainbow Dash.

"There's no way we can finish reading all of these before the next guard starts his rounds!" Veil hissed.

At that moment, there was a call from the hallway outside. It was a male voice. "Hello? Somepony here?" It was the guard from the last shift. "Cobalt? You here? I left my saddlebags. Hello?"

To the three mares' horror, another voice answered the first. "What are going on about, you old stallion? I'm right here." It was the guard for the new shift, Cobalt. "You left your saddlebags? Where?"

"I reckon I left 'em in the library. I was bored, so I read a book for a few hours." The first guard replied.

Cobalt snorted. "You, read? Don't make me laugh. The day Stony reads a book will be the day I fly through Canterlot wearing a dress."

"Yeah, yeah. You laugh. I'm just here for my saddlebags. And one day I'll make you eat those words…"

Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Veil looked at each other in horror as the faint clip-clop of hooves could be heard approaching the library. Trespassing in a school carried a heavy punishment, and might be reported to the Princess herself.

"I've got an idea," whispered Rainbow Dash. "we'll-" The two stallions rounded the corner, blocking out what little light had been seeping in through.

"Gosh, it's dark in here," remarked Stony as the pair entered the library. "Where's the light?"

"It's over here, I got it." Cobalt flicked the light switch on, lighting up the room. "What the-"

There was a sudden explosion of blue sparks which blasted the two stallions into the walls and knocked books flying. If the academy had not been made of cloud, Cobalt and Stony would have broken quite a few bones. When the sparks and dust cleared, the library was empty of intruders, and of yearbooks.

Stony was the first to recover. He got shakily to his feet and moved over to the prone figure of Cobalt. Then he leaned down, picked up his saddlebags off of Cobalt's nose, and pulled out a book, complete with bookmark.

"Guess you'll be needing a dress, huh?"

* * *

><p>There was a second explosion of blue sparks inside Twilight Sparkle's study, scaring the life out of the lavender unicorn and shaking a baby dragon out of his bed upstairs. When the orb of roaring azure energy subsided, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Veil, and the flight school's entire collection of yearbooks were deposited with a soft clatter on the floor. Veil gasped in pain as her foreleg began to weep crimson tears through the bandages. Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy appeared to be unconscious, though unharmed.<p>

"Every…time…" Veil spat out. "Every single time…" She slid onto the library floor and pressed her uninjured foreleg against her heaving chest. "It's getting worse…" And Veil too lost consciousness.

_-More Author's Notes_

_What gets worse? What just happened? We shall soon see. Leave a review if you feel like it. But only if you feel like it._

_There might be a delay with releasing the next chapter. I have a tight schedule this week and can't keep updating at a daily rate. I'm sorry for any inconvenience caused. _


	9. 8 Investigations

skullcrusher206-Thank you for your concern over my health. I have been sleeping earlier, and it feels great.

Chapter 8-Investigations

Rainbow Dash awoke to the sound of flapping paper. There was a pounding in her head, and both her wings had a serious case of pins and needles, as though she had been sleeping on them. She probably had been.

"Where am I?" she croaked. She cracked open an eye and took a look around. She was in a room full of books, and the walls were seemingly made of wood. The floor too, by the feel of it.

The…library? How did she end up here? Books…Cloudsdale…!

In a flash, the memories of the previous night's raid came rushing back to the cyan pegasus's mind. The last thing she remembered was the guards closing in on the library, and then there had been a bright blue flash, then nothing. Maybe she had passed out from fear and she was now on probation for breaking the law? What if she got banished?

Twilight's face filled Rainbow Dash's field of vision. She smiled with relief.

"Oh good, you're awake." Twilight said. "I was worried that you might not wake up. I wasn't sure how the teleportation would affect you."

"Teleportation? How did I teleport? I'm a pegasus."

Twilight bit her lower lip and squeezed out three words which she found very difficult to say.

"I don't know. You just appeared here in a storm of sparks an hour after you left. I've never seen anything like it before. Oh, and Fluttershy's already awake, but she went home to get breakfast ready for Angel and her animal friends before you awoke. Veil is still asleep, but I was going to change her bandages right now. She's bleeding worse than before; it's like nothing I've ever seen. There's breakfast on the table if you want it."

As Rainbow Dash slowly regained use of her wings and her mental facilities, Twilight made her way over to the heap of black fur and feathers in the corner. Although it had only been a few hours since the trio's explosive entrance, Veil had already lost quite a bit of blood, despite Twilight's efforts to keep the wound tightly wrapped. There was now a dark red puddle on the floor; nothing a little magic wouldn't fix, but it was still unpleasant. Twilight pulled out a roll of gauze, some surgical tape, and a pair of scissors and began to treat the wound. The cuts seemed deeper than they had been the previous night, and there were a few fresh ones, shallow, but long and painful-looking. Twilight taped the last bit of gauze into place and admired her handiwork. Not bad.

"How does anypony live with something like this? It must be awful." Rainbow Dash had ambled over with half a sandwich clamped in her mouth, muffling her speech a bit. "And somehow she kept up a pretty good flying speed last night, even with that leg! I'm impressed."

The cyan pegasus turned to look at a pile of gray metal piled in the corner. "Is that what she was wearing last night? It looked pretty cool, but also kinda dangerous, if you know what I mean. I mean, look at the sharpness!" Rainbow picked up a quill off Twilight's desk and pressed it against one of the wing blades. The quill was sliced cleanly in two, the severed end fluttering to the library floor silently. Twilight gave her friend a glance; she'd been in the middle of writing with that quill.

"It is kind of strange." Twilight agreed. She motioned for Rainbow Dash to come closer. "I did some exploring after you three left, inside the house." She whispered. "I found a whole set of armor in there."

"A whole set! Cool! Can we go see it? Maybe I can try it on…"

"NO."

"Aw, please? I'd ask first."

"Rainbow, now's not the time. I also found this." Twilight levitated the note off her desk and showed Rainbow. "I think it's a warning of some sort, but I can't be sure."

Rainbow stared at the note long and hard. Finally, she looked up.

"What's a V, Y, S, O, R?" she queried.

"You mean the 'V-y-s -or'?" Twilight said. "I don't know. I've looked through nearly the whole library on 'V' topics, but I've come up with nothing. I can't even restore the ink."

"Hmm. Where did you find this note? Maybe it's got something to do with where you found."

"I found it with the armor. It was tucked into the chest piece. That doesn't make the note any clearer."

"Hmm. There's three smudges before the 'or'," pointed out Rainbow Dash "Maybe it's supposed to say 'armor'?"

"Rainbow, you're brilliant!" exclaimed Twilight. "Hmm…' use of V-y-s armor may result in'… may result in what? I still don't know. What could it result in? And what's the final word? The 'CAU-' probably says 'CAUTION', but why?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Reactivate the enchantments. <strong>_

* * *

><p>"Maybe you should write to Princess Celestia about this and see if-" Rainbow was cut off by an anguished moan from nearby, making both ponies jump. They spun around quickly. It seemed Veil had woken up.<p>

She did not look good. The ebony pegasus was curled in a ball, clutching her bandaged foreleg against her chest, letting out sharp sobs and twitching as though she was having a fit. Veil cried out once again, her eyes unfocused and bloodshot. Twilight and Rainbow Dash ran over to their friend, unsure of what was causing her such intense pain.

"We need to get her to the hospital right away!" Rainbow Dash decided, as another scream tore through the early morning peace, causing ponies outside to eye the library warily. The cyan pegasus hauled Veil off the floor and onto her back, then galloped for the exit.

Twilight jumped in front of the door. "I know we need to, but we can't. She doesn't want to go."

"Why? That's crazy, she's dying here!"

"But she told us she doesn't want to-"

Rainbow cut her off. "She said she couldn't leave the house. But she's outside now, so we may as well help her and get her to the hospital. Makes sense." Veil convulsed on Rainbow's back, almost slipping off. "And we need to go now. Her leg's bleeding again." It was true, Veil's foreleg was bleeding profusely once more, leaving rivulets of crimson on Rainbow Dash's back. Twilight bit her lip; half of her wanted to get Veil some aid right away, the other half wanted to respect her wishes. But an earsplitting scream from the ebony pegasus made up her mind.

"All right, we're going." Twilight said, casting a binding spell on Rainbow and Veil, securing the two together. She stepped away from the door. "Now go! Once you get to there, ask for Nurse Redheart, and tell them there's a novice binding spell on you two. Hurry!"

Rainbow did not need further encouragement. She barged out the front door and into the sky, leaving a multicolored trail in her wake. Twilight set off in the same direction on hoof, hoping that the doctors would know what to do.

"Please be okay..."

* * *

><p>Twilight arrived at the hospital ten minutes later, panting and wheezing with exertion. A dark blue unicorn stallion with a lab coat and stethoscope hurried over, escorting the exhausted unicorn to a seat.<p>

"Now, don't speak yet, catch your breath first." He advised in a professionial manner. "Now, what's the problem? Are you ill? Is there somepony in trouble? What is it?"

Twilight shook her head vigorously. The doctor thought for a moment, then smiled. "Are you expecting a foal then? That's wonderful news!"

"I-I'm not-" Wheezed Twilight.

"No, it's no problem at all!" grinned the stallion, now seeming a little giddy. "I'll just get the forms-"

"Sure Cure, she's not having a foal." Said a female voice from down the hall. Twilight looked up to see Nurse Redheart, looking sternly at the stallion who Twilight assumed was named Sure Cure. He set down the papers and gave Twilight a once-over.

"You sure about that?" he asked.

Nurse Redheart rolled her eyes. "Yes, I'm sure. Now she has an appointment with me now, so can you just get the paperwork sorted out?"

The stallion threw a salute. "Sure thing, ma'am!" he jumped back behind the desk and started shuffling through various important looking forms, muttering to himself.

Nurse Redheart turned to Twilight apologetically. "I'm sorry if he gave you a hard time. Sure Cure can be a little…over-enthusiastic at times, but he's a good pony at heart." The pair trotted off down a side hallway lined with doors that reminded Twilight uneasily of the old manor's ground floor. They took a left turn, then a right, entering the Emergency Rooms.

"I know why you're here, Twilight Sparkle. Your friend Rainbow Dash arrived not too long ago with a very serious case." The nurse flicked through a clipboard until she found the right page. "Multiple lacerations, severe exhaustion, nervous instability, and feelings of intense pain. Quite serious indeed. Nopony'd seen anything like it before."

They had stopped in front of door number 162. Nurse Redheart nudged the door open and they stepped inside.

The room was mostly white and brightly lit with various lamps, making up for the lack of light from the covered windows. It was dominated by a large bed in which a familiar black peagsus was sleeping, hooked up to various machines which read her vitals. Rainbow Dash was seated next to the bed, wiping off the last of Veil's blood with a towel. She smiled when she saw Twilight.

"Oh, hey Twilight! We got here just fine, and your spell worked great!"

Nurse Redheart made a 'shh' gesture. Rainbow grinned sheepishly and lowered her voice. "They had to sedate Veil though. Nopony here knows what's wrong with her. You should have heard it; it sounded like there was somepony getting trampled by a herd of buffalo with steel hooves." Rainbow shuddered at the thought of it.

"We need to keep your friend here until we can find out what the problem is. I hope you understand. If you have any information that might help, tell any of the doctors." Nurse Redheart said. "The only thing the patient said was tell us to close the curtains. We kept the lights on though, after she was sedated. I have to go now, I have many other patients I need to see to." And with that, the nurse quietly left the room.

"Ohh, this is all my fault." Twilight said dejectedly. "Maybe if she hadn't gone outside, Veil wouldn't be like this."

Rainbow Dash was at her side in an instant. "It's _not_ all your fault, Twilight." She said firmly. "It was as much of my plan as it was yours. If anything, _my_ fault for mentioning the yearbooks."

The two friends stared remorsefully at the deeply sleeping pegasus. Her foreleg was now wrapped up with heavy-duty hospital bandages, and her other foreleg was connected to an IV drip, channeling nutrients into the body it was connected to.

"The best we can do now is be here for her when she wakes up."

Rainbow Dash patted Twilight on the back as she made for the door. "I'm going to get Fluttershy. She needs to know about this."

* * *

><p><em><strong>As you suggested, it is time for a change in strategy. <strong>_

The echoing, empty voice rang out from the shadowy corners from the manor, worming its way into cracks.

_Of course. I will awaken your companion at once._

_**Excellent. **_

There was a sudden ripple in the manor's interior, thunder with no sound, casting a shockwave throughout the entire structure and shaking several paintings on their hooks. The shadows formed into a massive hand which clenched into a wraithlike fist.

_**Soon. Once the enchantments are too much for the mark to bear, it will have no choice but to return. **_

The smoky creature from the painting moved towards the room in which Veil's armor and lexicon were stored. The same room Twilight had so recently escaped from. However, the phantom paid these artifacts no heed, instead opting to drift straight through the far wall.

On the other side was a square room with no doors and no windows. On the floor was a circle of symbols and mystic runes. And in the center of that circle, was a disassembled pile of bones and a vicious looking double edged sword with a black blade etched with even more symbols. The smoky creature drifted over and tapped the hilt of the sword, emitting a small clicking sound.

_Wake up. The superior requires your services._

The bones did not respond at first, but then a tremor ran from the hilt of the weapon and down into the bones, which began to glow a pale, poisonous green. A silky, reptilian voice emanated from the ancient remains.

"_It's about time."_

* * *

><p><em>-Author's Notes<em>

_Well, this is getting serious. What did the enchantments do? We shall see._

_In any case, I want to thank anypony who read this, regardless of whether you left a review or not. I'll get working on the next chapter._


	10. 9 Swift Recovery

_Author's Notes-First off, I'd like to apologize for the lateness in my updating. I had a skateboarding accident which landed me in hospital for about two weeks. Needless to say, it's hard to type with one hand and a minor concussion. But I digress. You're not here to hear about my hospital trip, you're here to read about ponies. And thank you again, __skullcrusher206__, for your support during my time of misfortune._

Chapter 9-Swift Recovery

Night time came slowly at Ponyville Urgent Care. Twilight, Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy were gathered in room 162, looking through one of the yearbooks for anypony that might be Veil from seventy years ago. Or three years. It was hard to tell with the hazy information they had been given. They couldn't rely on color either, since Twilight had revealed that pure black was not Veil's original color. In short, all the trio had to go on was hair style and facial shape, not very reassuring, as those might have changed too. As the lights in the hallway began to turn on, Twilight shut the yearbook she had been perusing.

"Oh, this is hopeless. We have no idea what she looked like before, and even if we did, we'd be looking for days through all the different departments! Ughhh." She moaned. "It seemed like such a good idea at the time."

"Um, does that mean we took the yearbooks for nothing?" asked Fluttershy, standing up and stretching her wings.

"No, no. It was worth a shot, but it seems that it won't be so easy." Twilight gazed at the small pile of yearbooks scattered around the room. Then she got an idea.

"What if we asked Veil if she recognizes any of the ponies in these books? All we'd have to do was look at the oldest class in every volume, because she vanished right before she was due to graduate!"

Rainbow Dash leaped into the air. "Great idea, Twilight!"

The door opened and a doctor poked his head in and went "Shhh."

"Sorry."

* * *

><p>The three ponies returned half an hour later with packaged food from the hospital's canteen. It was not particularly appetizing, and consisted mostly of grass, bread, and carrots followed with a foam cup of coffee. However, hunger covers a multitude of flaws, and the trio soon found themselves draining the last dregs of the coffee from the mugs. Rainbow Dash looked at the clock. Almost 11:30 PM. It had been 24 hours since last night's misadventure. It had been fun, but now Rainbow was wishing they'd never gone. Veil was now comatose, and they hadn't found anything out from the yearbooks. They needed answers, and they needed them quickly, before investigations from Cloudsdale reached Ponyville.<p>

There was a sudden fizzing sound, like a bottle of soda being opened after it had been shaken up. Twilight, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash looked around wildly as the sound intensified, finally fixing their eyes on a swirling cloud of blue sparks about the size of a beach ball floating above Veil's bed. It moved like a living creature, tendrils lashing out in unpredictable intervals. Finally, one of the tendrils brushed Veil's mane, causing the mysterious mass to go very still. Then, as though each individual spark were synchronized with all the others, they all dived directly into the ebony pegasus's bandaged foreleg, vanishing from sight.

Even as the sparks were settling into Veil's body, Twilight, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash were rushing for the door, partly in fear, partly to get a doctor, leaving Veil lost in her dreams…or nightmares.

* * *

><p>Falling.<p>

Veil was falling through empty space.

All around her was white fog, stretching out as far as the eye could see. Then she landed softly, though not softly enough to neutralize the impact, knocking the wind out of her.

Veil found herself in a long hallway lined with empty picture frames, all gilt and carved with utmost intricacy. While the hallway was well-lit with blue torches, it was filled with a cold, clammy fog that reached up to her shoulders and clung to her like water. The hallway seemed to stretch as far as the eye could see, with no visible changes. Then she heard something that chilled her even more than the fog already had.

"_Found you…"_

That voice.

That hissing, fear-inducing voice from the manor. Surely it couldn't have followed her here, wherever 'here' was? And yet here it was, resonating out from all the picture frames, striking her ears with its harrowing disposition. She would never escape. Veil knew in that moment, the only escape from her tormentor was death. She held her hoof to her throat in preparation to slice her own neck when Veil realized her bracer was gone.

Laughter. Twisted, mocking laughter.

"_Death? Oh, how very quaint. How very _mortal _of you. To think you could escape us by merely dying. Death would change nothing. We eagerly await your arrival at death's door, if you wish to end your life. It would not end your existence. You belittle our skill with such ideas. Dying. _Really."

"What do you mean?" Veil asked back, trembling amidst the fog, trying to hide in it. "Why can't you just leave me alone?"

"_You really have no idea. You are more important than perhaps you know, but that may be because you remember nothing. Isn't that right?"_

"Yes."

"_Then it's even better than we thought. It might even be fun. Think about it."_

Veil tilted her head up. "Think about what?"

"_You'll see. In the meantime, why don't you try remembering something? You might find that it works better this time. Ta-ta."_

Then the voice was gone. Veil got shakily to her hooves, fog sliding off her pitch black body like water off a duck's back.

Now that the voice was gone, Veil felt something beginning to creep into her heart. Something which slowly but surely forced out the fear she had just been feeling. It was anger.

Why couldn't that horrid creature leave her alone? Why was she so important to them?

There had been something different about that encounter, now that Veil thought about it. It had been nerve-wracking, yes, but it lacked something that had been present the previous times she had been lectured by whatever in Equestria it had been. The past few times it had been…serious. No informalities.

This time the voice had been more…friendly? No. It had been far from that, but it had sounded different all the same. Was it possible-no. It couldn't be. Yet it was the only possible explanation, and it justified the use of plural pronouns and the informalness.

There was more than one creature out to drag her back. That was it. The sudden, terrible truth. The anger evaporated and the fear returned in full force.

"No, no, no, no. It can't be…isn't one of them enough?" the pony begged at nothing, crying quietly. "I just wanted to go home…see mom and dad again…why?"

* * *

><p>At the manor, Veil's suspicions were being confirmed, but nopony knew that. Yet.<p>

The grinning teeth were apparently holding a conversation with a pile of bones. Bones of what, nopony knew either. The teeth were not grinning now, but were arranged in a type of straight-lined grimace.

_**Perhaps you frightened the mark a bit too much? **_

There was a rattling sound as the skeletal remains in the empty room shifted and clacked against each other. Blue sparks floated lazily around the bones, occasionally diving in and out of the holes in them.

"_Of course not. Besides, it will be your turn soon enough, and we may even get entertainment value out of this venture. You are not the only one who has been waiting to change reality."_

The teeth morphed back into their traditional predatory grin.

_**Naturally. Now, wake the mark. Excessive damage to its mind and soul are unacceptable.**_

A small pile of long thin bones arranged themselves into a devilish, talon-like hand. It flexed itself twice and fell apart.

"_It will be done."_

* * *

><p>"Veil, wake up! Wake up!" Twilight shouted as the bedridden pegasus thrashed and writhed before them.<p>

"C'mon, wake up, darn it!" Rainbow Dash said through clenched teeth, shaking Veil back and forth as she spoke.

Fluttershy and Nurse Redheart were preparing a dose of adrenaline to inject Veil with, but Twilight and Dash had to hold her still so that the needle wouldn't slip and rupture any veins or arteries. Finally, Twilight, with a burst of magic from her horn, enchanted the bedsheets to hold down the struggling pegasus. The shot was given, and everypony in the room stood with bated breath to see what would happen.

Veil's eyes snapped open, wild and fearful. She pulled against her bonds frantically.

Twilight was at her side in an instant. "It's okay, Veil. You're safe now."

Veil seemed to think otherwise. "They're everywhere. I can't die, I can't! Please, you've got to help me!" she pleaded, trying to grab hold of the lavender mare, only to be stopped by the restrictive bedsheets.

Twilight gave Veil a reassuring hug and let the bedsheets go. For a while, the two ponies stayed locked in an intimate embrace, Veil crying and choking out strange talk about pictures and voices, Twilight holding her and repeating that it would be alright. Twilight, for the first time, noticed how thin and frail the black pegasus actually was. Come to think of it, the previous times when they had met, Twilight could not recall Veil ever eating anything, not even from the food that was conjured on the table. She was light, even for a pegasus, and what Twilight could feel of Veil touching her felt slightly bony and underfed. While at a distance, Veil might look fine, she was not, both physically and mentally. Especially mentally. The unicorn felt a twinge of fury. Nopony should be like this, all broken and loveless. Veil obviously hadn't done this to herself; it must be whatever else lived in the manor that was responsible for her new friend's pains. Twilight felt a sense of purpose and resolve as she stood there, holding the ebony pegasus as she cried her heart out. She would help this pony, and she would start that very moment.

_Author's Notes Part 2_

_This chapter, I think, was too short. Ah well, that's what I get for being an arrogant fool and not watching where I was going._

_Any reviews would be much appreciated, but not demanded. _


	11. 10 A Clear Mind

Chapter 10

Veil took a long time calming down, which was understandable. After all, she had just received a large adrenaline shot. Half an hour later, the poor pony was still shaking like a leaf. Twilight, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy crowded around her, trying to comfort Veil the best they could. But how does one comfort a pony that has lost everything she ever knew?

Finally, the black pegasus began to stop crying, but did not loosen her hold on Twilight's body, clinging onto the unicorn as though she were the only lifeline in a stormy sea. Veil looked into Twilight's eyes, then around the room slowly. She froze.

"Whe-where are we?" she whispered fearfully. "This isn't my house…am I dead?"

Fluttershy put a hoof on Veil's unhurt foreleg. "No, you're not dead. You're safe now, at Ponyville Urgent Care hospital."

"What? How did I get here? I've never been here before; did you take me here?" Veil demanded.

"Yeah. I'm sorry, but after you passed out, you started to scream and thrash around like you were being tortured. We couldn't think of anyplace else to take you." Said Rainbow Dash. "Are you mad?" she added cautiously.

Veil looked unsure of what to say.

"I'm…outside?" she finally said.

The three other ponies nodded.

"I'm…alive?"

Another nod.

Twilight, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash suddenly found themselves wrapped in a hug by Veil, who had a huge grateful smile on her face.

"_Thank you."_

* * *

><p><em><strong>Once again, the mark progresses upon the road to recovery, and our retrieval task is set back another step.<strong>_

The manor was filled with dark smoke as a set of teeth made their way through the various rooms, ranting about its current status.

_**And to make matters even more inconvenient, the mark has left our area of direct influence. Without a direct link, the mark will be free from our presence during its waking hours. We can only communicate when it sleeps.**_

The smoke settled back in the room in which bones littered the floor. A draconic skull sat in the center, buzzing with blue sparks, slowly levitating itself up to the teeth's height. The jaw opened with a creak. In the half-light of the sparks, the skull looked demonically alive, yet long dead at the same time.

"_Don't be too disappointed. The safeguard put in place by the contract are still burning into her. If she wishes to stop the pain, she will have to return eventually. Do not worry. We still have time to complete the retrieval."_

The teeth in the smoke gnashed at the skull, which floated smartly back to avoid the blow.

_**There will be time for nothing if we fail. Notify our associate of this dilemma. I am the superior here, and he will cooperate, as will you.**_

The draconic skull tilted in submission.

"_As you command. The board is yours."_

* * *

><p>"I don't understand. Why did I turn up in your library? I've never even been there, how could I have known where to teleport to?" Veil asked.<p>

The injured pegasus was back in bed, with Twilight and her friends recounting the events of the previous nights to her. With sunrise only three hours away, everypony was understandably drowsy, but the curious series of last night demanded explanation, namely how three pegasi had teleported from one spot to another spot dozens of miles away with no unicorn.

"You said that 'every time it got worse' when you showed up, then you fainted." Twilight said. "What did you mean?"

Veil looked stricken. She would have gone pale, but her body color prevented such a change from being visible.

"I really said that?" she asked.

"Yes, you did."

For the first time, Veil noticed her missing bracer and wing blades, a look of terror spreading on her face.

"My armor." She gasped. "Where is it?" Veil clambered out of bed and made for the door, only to stumble and fall after putting too much weight on her wound.

Twilight levitated the ebony pegasus back into the bed.

"It's back at the library," Fluttershy said reassuringly. "You need to rest, you know. We can get it tomorrow-"

"No!" Veil shrieked. "Please, no." she said in a calmer tone. Veil glanced at the window. It was still dark, but the clock showed that there were but a few hours left until Celestia's sun lit up Equestria for the day.

"I know you need your bracer to walk, but the nurse said you need to stay here tomorrow night as well, so we can collect it and bring it tomorrow afternoon," Twilight reasoned.

Veil leaned out of bed and grabbed Twilight again, only this time, Twilight thought she saw an edge of madness in the mare's yellow eyes.

"It's not just that I need my bracer to walk, it helps with other things too." Veil hissed. "If I don't have it back by sunrise, I _will_ be dead."

Rainbow Dash was disturbed by all the mystery and hysteria.

"Fine, I'll go get it, but you have to tell us why when I get back okay?" said Ponyville's brash weather pony.

Veil nodded vigorously. "Just hurry, _please_."

Rainbow Dash smirked. "Ten seconds flat." She crowed, and then she was gone, leaving a streak of multicolored light behind.

Thirty-two seconds later, Rainbow Dash reappeared, holding a clanking bag between her teeth.

"Mmbaak!" she said.

"What?" inquired Twilight.

Rainbow Dash set the bag on the floor. "I'm back!" she repeated.

"Is it all there?" Veil asked feverishly from the bed. "The bracer and wing guards?"

Rainbow Dash opened the bag and pulled out the items, careful not to cut herself on any of the numerous sharp edges that covered the bracer and wing guards. Veil took them from Rainbow with a silent look of gratitude, and swiftly snapped them into place, using smooth well-practiced movements that spoke of countless repetitions. Veil folded and unfurled her wings a few times, ensuring the mechanisms opened and closed properly. Finally, the clawed bracer, now encasing Veil's right foreleg, was tightened to make sure it wouldn't slip off mid-step. Her preparations complete, Veil smiled and leaned back.

"I suppose I owe you some real answers then?" the black mare said, more relaxed now that she had her gear back. "Fair enough."

"The reason I wasn't straight with you ponies before was, well, I was scared. In that manor, everything I do is being watched. All the pictures…they follow me. I know I'm not alone in there, even when there's nopony else with me." Veil shuddered at the memory of her story. "That's why I'm so happy you took me outside. For the first time in…forever, I felt…free. Nothing was watching me for once. It felt so good…but I can't stay outside after sunrise. I told you that, didn't I?"

Twilight and the other two pegasi nodded, remembering how Veil had told them that she had to be back before the sun rose.

"I was so absorbed in finding out my past that I forgot to tell you why. You say I started having a fit yesterday morning? Let me put it this way: can you imagine being slowly ripped apart by a thousand white-hot needles from the inside out?"

"Oh dear, no."Fluttershy squeaked, shocked by the sudden use of imagery.

"It was that bad?" asked Rainbow Dash in an awed tone.

Veil shook her head.

"No, it was worse, but that's the most painful thing I can think of right now. That's how I was feeling that morning. If I'm not back in the manor when the sun rises, I'll continue to suffer like that, until I pass out or die."

"That's horrible!"

"I guess you could say that, but I'm grateful for the ability to feel anything at all, really. It's just…that's why I needed my armor back. When I wear it, it helps to…dull the pain a bit. It keeps me from feeling the full force of the daytime effect until I can get back to the manor…" she choked back a sob. "Oh, Celestia, I don't want to go back!"

Twilight put a reassuring hoof on Veil's shoulder.

"Shhh. There, there. Nopony's making you go back." Twilight decided to turn the conversation away from the distressing subject of the manor and ask something she'd meant to ask a while back.

"Veil, when you, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash appeared in the library, you also took all the yearbooks with you."

"We did?"

"Um, yeah. They sort of softened the floor for us to land on…thanks." Fluttershy said meekly.

"I almost forgot about the yearbooks. Did you find anything?"

Twilight shook her head. "We tried, Veil, but you told us that you look nothing like you did before, and even your name was different." Veil's ears drooped at that. "But we were wondering if you could identify any of the ponies in the yearbooks. If you can recognize them, then we can narrow things down a bit."

Veil's ears perked up, and she sat up a bit straighter in bed. "Can we start now?" she asked eagerly. "I think I still remember some ponies if I think hard enough-"

"Sorry to um…interrupt, but…well, you haven't eaten anything in almost two days. You need to eat something." Fluttershy advised.

"I don't need to." mumbled Veil automatically. The pegasus threw off the sheets anyway and got out of bed. However, she was seized by a slight trembling in her legs.

"What's happened to me? There's a terrible pain in my gut…" She winced. "I feel so...tired. Am I hurt worse than before?" Veil's stomach growled loudly, causing her to jump, wings flaring out with shock. "What was that?" Twilight, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash began to smile, their emotions fledging into a full blown laugh.

"No, really, what's going on? Is there something you're not telling me?"

Rainbow Dash got up off the floor, wiping her eyes with mirth. She clapped Veil on the back.

"Come on. It seems like Fluttershy was right. You _do _need to eat."

Veil tried to shrug the cyan pony off. "I haven't eaten in months. I don't see why I should start now-"

Rainbow Dash was a pony used to having her way. It didn't take much effort for her to drape the protesting Veil across her back and fly toward Sugarcube Corner, still grinning from ear to ear. No small feat for a creature whose ears were on top of its head.

* * *

><p>"<em>We have arrived."<em>

In the manor, a painting erupted into black flames, and out of them emerged two tall forms. Shrouded in smoke and shadows, they slithered and drifted into the room containing the remnants of Veil's armor. The black creature waiting within acknowledged them with a nod and opened its teeth wide, briefing them.

_**This mission has been a miserable failure from the start, **_It spat brutally**. **_**Not a single moment of amusement to be had, and if we do not return with results, it is unlikely we will be let out again.**_

The two others waited patiently, ready for their orders. Their superior suddenly turned to them.

_**I know that before and after this is done, we shall be equals once more. However, for this moment, I expect you to obey my commands as I tell you.**_

As the speech went on, the shadows and smoke began to clear away from the audience. In the gloom, a skeletal bladed tail twitched, a cruelly sharpened horn glinted.

_**You will leave this structure and use any means you wish to draw the target back here. **_

A slightly bemused reptilian voice, higher in register, responded.

"_I have already visited our straying companion in her dreams. Besides, the enchantments placed on her will-"_

A third voice, melodious yet carrying an ominous undertone interrupted.

"You already told us this. She hasn't come back. That's why we need to get out there and bring her back, or our souls are forfeit."

The superior nodded.

_**As much amusement as it would have caused to slowly bring the mark back around, alas, we have no time for such intricacies. No authorization. Thus, I order you, as those with a tangible form, to complete your task.**_

By this time, the black smog was almost completely gone, revealing the some of the two members of the audience at last.

The first was a skeletal dragon, a predatory lich with pale green light shining from its ancient skull. Its bony wings stretched to the ceiling, and it rested upon its extensive coiled up tail. A tall, double-edged sword, glowing electric blue and surrounded with several small floating luminous orbs, levitated at its side. It cocked its skull to the side and hissed.

The second was less impressive to look at. It appeared to be a dark entity wreathed in blackest shadow, bright blue sparks skipping along its length. Here and there the cloak of darkness would give way, showing a needlepoint horn or a sinister clawed hand that grasped at the air, trying to squeeze the life out of it.

The dracolich and its cohort nodded at their superior, and made for the door. Just before they passed through, the shadowy one turned around and asked one last question.

"Is our target meant to be brought back alone, or can we bring back extras?"

_**It makes no difference to me.**_The black creature waved its hand at them as it turned away and dived into a nearby picture.

_**Now go, Mauraxus, Sirmyurin, and do your duty.**_

_Author's Notes_

_There. A longer chapter to make up for the pitifully short previous one._

_Finally, we get to know the identities of two of Veil's associates from her previous life! Yay, now things can finally get more fun. Maybe…*sniff*…maybe._


	12. 11 Hunting Party

Chapter 11-Hunting Party

Pinkie Pie was lost. She didn't mind though; being lost in a forest made of chocolate and cotton candy was a-ok with her any day! The party pony took a large bite out of a chocolate tree trunk and chewed on it happily. She simply couldn't wait to get back to Ponyville and show everypony! This was even better than when Discord had made the chocolate rain! Maybe Applejack could move a tree or two back to Ponyville, and they could grow their own chocolate-cotton candy forest. Pinkie made a mental note to ask Applejack as soon as she got back…which way was back, anyway? Left or right?

As she pondered which fork in the road to take, (Where had the road even come from? It hadn't been there a moment ago…) the trees around the pink pony began to make tapping sounds. Pinkie looked up, and saw that candy of all sorts was falling from the treetops, tapping the branches on the way down. She opened her mouth to catch one. Just as a red and white striped mint was about to fall into Pinkie's eagerly awaiting mouth, she was startled by a pony's voice.

"PINKIE PIE!"

Dashie? What was she doing here? Was she here to help her move the trees? Pinkie looked around for her pegasus friend, but she was nowhere in sight. The tapping sound got louder, rising to annoyingly loud levels. Pinkie scrunched up her eyes, and when she opened them again-

"Awwh. Only a dream again." She muttered sleepily as she awoke. By now, Rainbow Dash's hammering on the window was threatening to break the glass. "Coming, Rainbow Dash!"

* * *

><p>Pinkie Pie pulled open the window, allowing her cyan friend into her room. Rainbow Dash tumbled inwards and Veil fell off her back. She got up, supporting herself with her bracer.<p>

"I don't see why eating couldn't wait," she said irritably. "It's not as it I'm going to die of starvation or anything like that." She began to head for the open window, only to be stopped by a mass of pinkness.

"Omigosh omigosh! Are you Dashie's new friend? I heard her talking about a new pony the other day…something about a ticket to the Wonderbolts' training grounds. Can you take me too? Can you? Can you?"

Veil jumped backwards, bumping into a nearby table. Her wings flared out beside her, extending the blades mounted on them to full length.

Rainbow Dash untangled her neck from a roll of plastic cling wrap that had fallen off a shelf.

"Pinkie, that was an entirely different pony I was talking about back there…" she said as she shut the window. "but first things first. Pinkie, this is Veil. Veil, this is Pinkie Pie, one of my friends. You can trust her." She finished, hoping to calm the black pegasus down a little. "Um…you can lower your wings now?"

Veil folded her wings with a muttered protest. Pinkie Pie, completely unfazed by the weaponry on the new pony's wings, scampered over and smothered Veil in a hug.

"Nice to meet you Veil! Dashie must think you're pretty special if she brought you here at this time! What can I do for ya? Throw a party? I'll get my party cannon!"

Pinkie pranced over to her wardrobe and began to root through it, pulling out a cannon as big as she was which should definitely have not fit in there.

* * *

><p>The manor's front door creaked open, stretching to accommodate the users. Out slipped the shadow cloaked figure, flowed shortly by the dracolich with his sword floating close behind.<p>

"_Now",_ the bone dragon said. "_I will go after the target and follow her. You will go and gather intelligence on this world from the locals, discreetly. The lexicon was most unclear on details, and if we are to complete this task well, then any information will be useful."_

The shrouded being, Sirmyurin, made a motion which might have been a nod and took off into the sky, as silent as an owl. If one looked carefully, they might have seen the tips of white wings poking through the permanent shroud of dark vapor that drifted around the being. As Sirmyurin became a speck in the starry sky, the dracolich turned its attention to the slumbering town of Ponyville.

"_And while you're doing that, let's see if little old Mauraxus can't find out what your plans are, Veil. I'm sure you haven't thought them through. You never did."_

Mauraxus stretched his skeletal wings and launched himself straight up into the air. As the bone dragon flew, the wind rattled its wing bones. There was a brief burst of blue sparks and there was silence.

Had Mauraxus still had any flesh on his form, he would have smiled in anticipation.

"_I'm coming for you, little pony, and no amount of hiding will save you."_

Then just as suddenly as the strange pair had appeared, both were gone from sight.

* * *

><p>"There's something I found odd about Veil's story," said Fluttershy back at the hospital. "Veil said her class was attacked by manticores, right? But there are hardly any manticores left in the Everfree Forest anymore."<p>

"That is kind of odd." Agreed Twilight. "I remember reading that there used to be a large pride of manticores in the forest until about fifty years back when they all disappeared suddenly. The author of the book thought it was a mass migration."

"But manticores are territorial…they wouldn't leave just like that…" countered a puzzled Fluttershy. Twilight was troubled: Where animals were concerned, Fluttershy was the go-to pony. If she said that manticores did not migrate, then it was probably true that they didn't. But then where did they all go…?

"I know!" Twilight exclaimed, an expression on her face that was startlingly similar to the ones Rarity sometimes had when she got an idea for her dresses. "I'll write to the Princess about Veil, the manticores, about everything! She's sure to know something about all this!"

Twilight promptly trotted out the door, Fluttershy in tow. It was a clear night, and a harvest moon lit up Ponyville for the pair as they made their way to Twilight's home, the library.

Spike was waiting for them.

"Twilight! Fluttershy! You're back! Where's Rainbow Dash? Is she in the hospital? Is she hurt?"

Twilight gave her assistant a quick hug. "No, she's fine."

"Oh, good." Sighed Spike. "After Rainbow Dash came rushing in like that, I thought one of you might be hurt! Why're you guys here anyway? I mean, it's kind of late for a visit, Fluttershy. "Well, we actually wanted to send a letter to the Princess asking about something important. We need your help, Spike."

"Sure thing, Twi. What do you need to ask?" Spike readied a quill and scroll, hand twitching with a practiced motion.

"Ahem. _Dear Princess Celestia,_

_I am writing because something extraordinarily out of the usual has happened. We met a pony who can't remember anything, not even her name. She asks us to call her Veil, and she says she left Equestria 70 years ago after being attacked by manticores. I have many more questions, so I would like to see if I can schedule a meeting with you as soon as possible._

_Your faithful student, Twilight Sparkle"_

Spike finished the 'e' in 'Sparkle', rolled up the scroll and blew on it. Emerald flames enveloped the roll of paper and sent it speeding on its way to Canterlot. Within minutes, Princess Celestia would be reading it, and all would be well.

* * *

><p>"So if you're not here for a party, what can I help you with?" asked Pinkie, shooting off another burst of confetti and tablecloth.<p>

"Heh." Rainbow Dash giggled. "Well, the truth is, I dragged her here for a bite to eat."

"I don't need to-" Began Veil again, only to be rewarded with a hoof in her mouth. "Mmphhh!"

"What Veil _means_ to say is that she hasn't eaten in forever, and I thought it would be a _good_ idea to take her to the _expert_ on food in Ponyville, you, Pinkie Pie!" Rainbow Dash grinned. "And you're not leaving until you eat something. The Wonderbolts' Eating Guide says that everypony should eat three meals a day, no exceptions. So there!" she finished as though the Wonderbolt's Eating Guide was the final say on everything.

"Can we get back to the yearbooks if I promise to eat something here?" said Veil, now feeling a dull ache in her abdominal regions. Secretly, Veil knew that Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie were right. There was no other explanation for the empty feeling in her gut, but why hadn't it happened before?

"Sure we can. As soon as you have a full meal." The rainbow-maned pegasus said. "Pinkie?" But the party pony was nowhere to be seen.

A cheery voice came from downstairs. "I'm just finishing up the icing on the cakes, you can make yourselves comfy anywhere ok? Watch out for the-oops, never mind!" There was the sound of clashing plates. "Sorry, Gummy!"

Veil gave Rainbow Dash a glance which said 'are you sure this pony is sane?', then proceeded to fold her wings which had once again unfurled in the confusion. In response, Dash just laughed.

"Don't worry about it." She said. "Pinkie gets this kind of reaction all of the time. She's _is _the Element of Laughter, after all." And with that, Rainbow Dash gently escorted the black-coated pegasus out of the room.

The pair was halfway down to the kitchen when Veil did a double take. "What did you say back there?"

"Um, Pinkie's always like this?"

"No, after that."

"She's the Element of Laughter?"

Veil stopped in her tracks, almost falling down the steps. "Element of Laughter as in 'The Elements of Harmony'"? the word were spoken softly, as if in a daze.

"Yeah," Rainbow Dash said off-hoofedly. "But that was about two years back, and everypony's gotten used to it by now." Dash looked at her companion with concern. "You alright there?"

"…Yes." Breathed Veil. "I'm just…anticipating what's downstairs. That's all."

But in her mind, Veil was bust processing a flash of memory that had just shown up suddenly. A memory of herself reading a book…she remembered reading about the Elements of Harmon_y…in the Lexicon._ Veil stiffened. How could she have left it there in the manor? If _they _were to gain access to it while she was here, they might find out about…no. The lexicon was protected. They couldn't just gain access like a regular book, could they? Veil forced a smile onto her face and made her way down the steps.

_I'm really not thinking straight…_Veil thought as she turned the corner and into the main dining room of Sugarcube Corner.

Veil could not remember seeing a more cheesy, stereotypical party scene in her entire, guilt-ridden life. There were bunches of bright balloons tied to nearly every surface, each bundle clamoring for attention. Party music, lively and upbeat, played softly from a gramophone perched on a nearby confetti-covered table. Streamers were draped every which way, dangling and criss-crossing haphazardly. And the food. Oh, the food.

The long tables were covered with cakes and treats which Veil hadn't seen in…a long time. Cupcakes of numerous shapes and sized sprawled everywhere. Delicious looking technicolor confectionaries dotted silver platters, and in the corner was crystal bowl of bright red punch. Hay fries, celery sticks and dip, and a whole library of apple-related delicacies.

Veil stood in awe of the magnificent fare in the room, a smile slowly making its way across her face like the sun chasing away grey clouds.

Pinkie clapped her on the back. "Well don't just stand there! Let's _party!_"

* * *

><p>Preparations were being made at the manor.<p>

_**Has the Grand Master authorized the delivery? **_

The creature which had been watching Veil was being given orders from the superior. IT was a short list, but of utmost importance.

_Not yet, but the item is currently being stored in the Archives, back in M-_

The creature of smoke was interrupted by a violent wave of the superior's obsidian clawed arm.

_**Do not utter that name here. Who knows what beings may be listening to us.**_

_I assure you, superior, that the structure is completely secure._

_**If it was secure, the mark would still be with us, and I would not be asking Mauraxus and Sirmyurin to hunt it, now would I? Now, dispense with the nonsense and humbly request that the Grand Master, or at least one of his officers, handle the delivery as soon as possible.**_

_I understand completely._

_**One more thing.**_

_Anything, my superior._

_**Never speak of this again.**_

* * *

><p>Above Canterlot…<p>

"Now…where do I start gathering information?" Sirmyurin pondered while blending in perfectly with the night sky. Then the being noticed a small lick of emerald green light heading toward it.

"Hmm? Now what could that be?"

_-Author's Notes-_

_I was kind of high on painkillers when I wrote this. I tried to get Pinkie's personality right, but what with the drugs and all I'm not sure I succeeded. I'm going to upload this and go to sleep._

_Leave a review, you know, but only if your heart tells you it's what you want to do._


	13. 12 Shadows Unbound

Chapter 12-Shadows Unbound

_Author's No_

_**Ahhh….**_

_**Dear readers, this is a message from one whom you may know, if you have made it this far. Yes, I know of your existence, as does the rest of our organization. The fourth wall is flimsy and weak, and we have been operating on both sides of it for some time now. **_

_**Know that by reading this tale, you bear witness to what I decide to do next. Mauraxus and Sirmyurin are under MY command, and they will do what I tell them. Even as I speak they are scouring the world for our quarry, a being who I will not name, the mark. Her betrayal of our cause is unacceptable, and were it my decision, her soul would undergo the most excruciating punishments before I presented it to the Grand Master. **_

_**But to my disappointment, it is not my decision as to what happens to the mark's soul. At least, not directly. But what I do here may influence the outcome. I have seen many, many possibilities. I hold her memory, her freedom. I will not give it up so easily. **_

_**But due to some unexpected orders from the Grand Master, I am obliged to relay this message to you.**_

_**Whomever is recording this tale may be open to suggestion. If you voice your opinions on what you wish the future to be, the future…can change. It matters not to me. We have all the escape routes covered, and for the mark, all roads WILL lead to ruin.**_

_tes-_


	14. 12 Unbound Shadow

Chapter 12-Shadows Unbound

_Author's Notes _

_I'm back. Woohoo. _

_And thank you, Skullcrusher206 and everypony else for sticking with this story even though it's run into a chariot full of delays._

_Now, where were we?... _

_Hmm, and what's with the previous chapter?_

* * *

><p>As the green lick of flame exited the library's window and sped towards Celestia's palace, something dark and silent detached itself from the night sky and took off after it. It chased the scroll for a few miles, then, realizing that it could not catch up, reached out with a spectral hand and waved. A swirling pool of yellow light appeared in the scroll's path swallowing it up like a pony swallowing a rainbow sprinkled cupcake. The pursuer caught up to the portal.<p>

In his many, many years of service, Sirmyurin had learned some valuable lessons. One of them was: If you isolate your targets, they are that much easier to take down. And that was exactly what the enigmatic being was doing. A dark spectral hand reached into the portal and drew out Twilight's letter to Princess Celestia. The shadow cloak around Sirmyurin parted slightly as he read the letter, patches of white shining starkly within the blackness. Finally, the ghostly being reached out with a tendril-like hand and let loose with a burst of blue sparks that dove into the letter like locusts onto a wheat field. Sirmyurin then rolled up the letter, resealed and re-ignited it, then let it go whizzing off to Canterlot.

"Hmm." Sirmyurin mused. "I'll have to keep a close watch on that library…wouldn't want them calling for help."

Then he opened a hole in the air and spoke through it.

"It seems Veil has acquired some help from the locals. Should I move in and strike?"

_**No. Stand by and wait for Mauraxus to finish his task. Once he is prepared, I will send support and analyze if the mark is still salvageable, despite the contaminations that the interloping locals are sure to have brought. But for now, Sirmyurin, keep a close watch on the mark.**_

"Yes, my superior." Sirmyurin was about to close the connection when he spoke again, softly.

"It's hard to believe that we were working together not so long ago. She's changed. Mentally, I mean. Our alterations prevent any physical transformation, for now at least."

_**Correct. The mark is no longer our associate, and must be retrieved as soon as possible. I command you to leave your sentiments behind and complete the task. Make sure the mark's mind remains in a deteriorated enough state that it is still open to manipulation. Mauraxus will move in shortly.**_

Sirmyurin balked at this command. Having worked in that line of work for several eons, he knew only too well how retrievals often ended. He had been the one often left on cleanup, being very skilled at manipulating reality, and the mess left behind was often, if nothing else, horrific and on more than one occasion, excessively vicious. But those other tasks, those retrievals had never, _never, _been someone like this, an ex-collegue.

But orders were orders. Sirmyurin closed the connection with a surprisingly gentle sigh, having nothing more to say, except:

"As you wish, my superior."

* * *

><p>Veil couldn't remember the last time she had felt so content. The bright atmosphere of Sugarcube Corner and the company of friends was even better than the bracer and wing guards, it made the pain in her foreleg that much more bearable. Pinkie Pie especially seemed to make the threat of…the things…from the manor so far away. For the first time since returning to Equestria, Veil the black peagsus felt…safe. Safer even more than wearing a suit of armor or hiding in an old house away from eveypony. Somehow, being out here, with friends she'd made not so long ago, calmed Veil's nerves so much more than spending a month alone. Somehow, Rainbow Dash had requested her story again, but with an appeal to 'tell us everything! Whatever's bothering you, we can help you with!' So Veil had begun her tale, just like back at the manor…<p>

"I was raised in Cloudsdale by both my parents. I…" her voice broke slightly. "I don't even remember their names. It's been so long, but I remember loving them so much. I still do. They trusted me and…"

She paused to take a deep rattling breath.

"That day, I failed them. I told them I'd get home safely. But…but I didn't! And now I'm back in Equestria on my own with…things…trying to drag me back. I can't take it much longer."

Pinkie Pie, who had kept quiet through the short outburst, spoke up.

"But what happened between you leaving Equestria and coming back? There's gotta be something that happened in between, right?"

Veil absent-mindedly massaged her injured leg. The bandages were still holding firm, and they showed no signs of seepage.

"I was about to be killed by the manticores was rescued by…them."

At the mention of "them", Rainbow Dash's frown deepened. The shadows in the room lengthened, and even the music seemed to lose its cheery edge. Pinkie, oblivious to these changes, leaned in close to Veil and asked "Who is 'them'"?

The ebony pegasus got a haunted look in her eyes as she tried to find the words to describe her previous associates, now her hunters.

"It's hard to describe them. They have great and terrible powers, and can appear and reappear anywhere at will. You saw how they played with your mind the first time you came into the manor."

Rainbow Dash nodded quickly, remembering how the portraits in the house had seemed like they were constantly observing her and Twilight. The more she thought about it, the more _wrong_ it seemed. Nothing should exist like that, malevolent and mysterious, with no regard for other life. At least Celestia and Luna were outgoing and interacted with their subjects…but…whatever lived in that manor, silently watching the world, no. Nothing like that ought to be.

"I actually studied under one while I was gone-" Veil was cut off by an outraged "WHAT?" from her cyan friend.

"You did what? Studied? But, what, HOW?"

Veil suddenly developed a great interest in the floor tiles. She mumbled, "I didn't have a choice. If I didn't submit to them, they'd have thrown me back." Veil wiped her eyes, which had started to water. "Not a day goes by when I wonder if I had just refused, how might things be different? I've been a bad pony. Such a bad pony." Her voice petered out from a normal tone to a choked whisper.

Pinkie put a hoof on Veil's back. "It's okay, Veil. No matter what has you down, I'll try my hardest to turn that frown upside down. Tell us more."

Then there was a knock on the door. Knock. Knock. Knock.

* * *

><p>Rarity had been having quite the night. The white unicorn had been working up until nine o'clock at night, filling in the last of her orders from Trottingham. She would have been done much earlier, had not Sweetie Belle, Apple Bloom, and Scootaloo come rushing in on another harebrained scheme to earn their cutie marks. This time it had been oh, what was it, ah yes: The Cutie Mark Crusaders Alarm Service. The trio had decided that they would be ready to warn Ponyville of any impending disaster by screaming at the top of their lungs for as long as they could. And scream they did. More than once, Rarity's scissors had almost slipped on a crucial cut, nearly destroying hours of hard work. Then there had been the neighbors. Oh, the neighbors, what a fiasco that had been.<p>

Half a dozen ponies from the surrounding area had showed up at the Carousel Boutique to ask if anything was wrong. Once they had learned it was just the regular persistent, if not lovable, hooligans, they had politely (Some less so) requested that they keep quiet. So Rarity had had to take even more time out her already swamped schedule to lull the Crusaders to sleep. She had tried a lullaby, but Rarity was no Fluttershy, possessing neither the Stare or the pastel yellow pony's comforting skills. Finally, after a score of fruitless attempts to tire out the three hyperactive fillies, Rarity had at least promised that she'd help them find their Cutie Marks the whole of next day. One would think that she had poured superglue down their throats. Rarity had just finished stitching the hemline on the final dress when she had looked at the clock.

6:32 AM. The Element of Generosity almost screamed out loud. She had stayed up all night; she had missed her vital Beauty Sleep!

"Of all the things that could happen," she whispered, "This is the. Worst. Possible. Thing!" special emphasis was placed on the last few words to express her dismay. Then her stomach growled loudly, causing Rarity to start. After a moment's consideration, the fashionista carefully packed up her beloved sewing machine, methodically stacked her design lists and order forms, and set out for Sugarcube Corner for a little pick-me-up of Pinkie's hot chocolate. She'd just nip out, buy the drink, and nip back in. Nopony would even know she had been gone.

"What an excellent plan, Rarity!" she congratulated herself quietly, drowsiness making the plan seem more splendid than it actually was.

Ponyville was still dark, but Luna's moon was nearing the edge of the horizon, meaning that Celestia would soon raise the sun to illuminate the land.

_It's just as well I plan to get back before sunrise. _Thought Rarity. _I don't want anypony seeing me without getting a full night's sleep._

The white unicorn, using magic to muffle her hoofsteps, soon arrived at Ponyville's central sweetshop. Funny. It seemed like there were voices coming from inside. Rarity would have dismissed it as more of Pinkie Pie's nonsense, but something made her stop before knocking. There was a wonderfully fragrant scent coming from under the door, and it didn't sound like Pinkie's high, merry voice. No, this voice was definitely more subdued, although the door blocked out the words.

Well, nothing else for it. Rarity raised her hoof, combed her purple mane, and knocked on the door three times. In a precise, ladylike fashion, too. Just in case there was a high class stallion inside.

Imagine her surprise at being greeted by a happy albeit surprised Pinkie Pie! The poor unicorn was dragged in and before she knew it, was shaking hooves with a pony she had never met before.

"Oh, hi Rarity! How nice of you to drop by!"

* * *

><p>"<em>Closing in on the target's location" <em>Hiding just below the cloud layer, Mauraxus the dracolich hovered above Sugarcube Corner. Next to him, looking for all the world like a small dark raincloud was Sirmyurin. The pair seemed to be plotting.

"…Yes, but what is the best course of action in this situation? Our superior will not want us to cause excessive damage to Veil…"

"_Oh, you mean the target? I would have thought you gathered some information from reviewing the local memories?"_

Sirmyurin replied in a peeved tone. "I have only had several hours to observe. I will share what I have gathered."

A stream of blue sparks crossed between the two beings.

"_Ah…yes. Now, as soon as the superior gives the command, we move in. I think a preliminary test is in order."_

"The superior has already given us the order. It's up to you to decide when to start."

The dracolich's eyes shone a sickly green as it turned its head to look doen on the sleeping town below.

"_We approach at noon. Be prepared."_

Sirmyurin didn't say anything. Mauraxus noticed this and asked, "_What's the matter? Having second thoughts?"_

Sirmyurin's smoky form seemed to grow in size and he confronted his colleague. The smoke parted at the front to show a pair of dark golden eyes, slit pupils and a dark disposition carven in by eons of work.

"Never."

* * *

><p><em>Author's Notes.<em>

_-Yeah. I've been working on something else at the same time, so this chapter is more or less filler. Meh. _


	15. 13 A Day Off

Chapter 13- A Day Off

Rarity couldn't take her eyes off Veil. Something in her fashion-conscious self was drawing her eyes over, not letting her finish the drink Pinkie had given her. They had been introduced, shaken hooves and everything.

Pure black. Now _there _was a color scheme Rarity had never seen before, and she had pretty much seen them all. Already ideas for a dress were stitching themselves together in the fashionista's head, itching to be put into reality. It included a lot of black, with some artful placement of topaz to accentuate those unnaturally yellow eyes. Something would have to be done about the mane, though. It looked like it hadn't even been brushed in _years. _A plan began to come together.

First, an innocent question.

"Darling," Rarity said sweetly. "I was just wondering if you could tell me where you got such _intriguing_ accessories? I've never seen anything like them, and they look rather stunning on you." Rarity motioned at Veil's bracer and wing guards.

To the white unicorn's dismay, Veil's smile slipped a little and she averted eye contact.

"Well, I got them a long way away, but they're not accessories. They're more like crutches. They help me stay alive."

Pinkie Pie popped up into Rarity's field of vision. "Yeah, Veil's on the run from some monsters lurking in that cuh-razy old manor at the edge of Ponyville. Cool, huh? But I wish she didn't have to hurt so much. That's kind of mean."

"On the run!" Rarity exclaimed. "How dangerous! Is that how you got hurt, Veil?"

Veil gave a non-committal nod. "Something like that."

Rainbow Dash listened with a mouthful of cookies. She so wanted to recount all the adventures they'd had, but the rainbow maned pegasus was suddenly struck with an odd feeling. It was the feeling of being watched. Dash turned her head and looked out the window at the night sky. It was pitch black, just a few hours before dawn. She stifled a yawn.

Then she saw the eye. Amidst the darkness and clouds, it flashed and watched the sleeping town. The same red eye from the painting. A cloud blew over it, obscuring it from sight. When the cloud moved away, the eye had gone.

But it had been there. Rainbow Dash was sure of it.

She wished morning would come faster.

* * *

><p>Rarity's plan was working. Fluttershy had just told her, aside, of Veil's condition. To Rarity, it sounded all very romantic. A mysterious mare cursed to stay in an old house until she was rescued. Why, it was almost storybook! All that was missing was a handsome stallion in shining armor. She didn't believe a word of it of course. More than likely it was just a slight aversion to going outside and an overactive imagination.<p>

Veil was growing worried. The sun would rise soon, and she wasn't sure what would happen if she was caught out like this when it happened. She was wearing some of her armor, but not all of it. And she desperately wanted to make sure nopony had looked into the lexicon. There were some things Veil did not want her new friends to see.

The closer sunrise got, the tenser Veil became. While Rainbow Dash had passed out on the floor and Pinkie was getting her millionth serving of punch, the black pegasus slowly made her way to the front door, hoping not to be seen. Rarity, however, had been noting Veil's tense behavior since two hours ago. She had been in enough fashion shows to recognize when a pony was trying to pretend to be brave, but was falling to pieces on the inside. She also knew how to spot ponies trying to sneak out of public gatherings. This was hardly a crowd, so it was easy for the white unicorn to catch Veil just before she placed a hoof on the door.

Veil turned warily. Rarity gave a warm smile in response. "Where are you going, my dear? I have yet to introduce you to the spa!"

Veil swallowed, watching the edge of the horizon begin to brighten with the first pink streaks of dawn. "Thanks for the offer," she mumbled, "but I really need to get going."

Rarity didn't relinquish her grip. "Oh, come on, Veil. It'll be fun, and you'll look so much better with you mane washed and brushed."

"Um, it's very nice of you, but-"

The sun suddenly rose up from behind a hill, filling Sugarcube Corner with the early rays of morning light.

Veil gave a shriek and braced herself for the pain.

None came. Not even a slight twinge.

Rarity was looking at the cringing pony before her, wondering what she had said or done wrong.

Veil slowly uncurled from the tight black ball she had become. Stood up, flexed her right foreleg slowly. Still no pain. The ebony pony shuffled up to Rarity, who was then smothered in a tight hug. She returned the hug, relieved that there was nothing wrong.

"Now, how about that visit to the spa?"

* * *

><p>"<em>Why did you disable the perimeter enchantments?" <em>

High above cloud cover, Mauraxus eyed Sirmyurin with suspicion. The smoggy being answered smoothly.

"I merely didn't want to damage the target too much. Without proper wards or protective enchantments, too much pain can cause irreparable damage."

"_Damage? The target is capable of using her power still, as demonstrated when she used it to escape from the city in the clouds."_

"She escaped, yes, but without us feeding her energy and magic, Veil will eventually run out of strength and her attempts at sorcery will fail, perhaps catastrophically. Do you want that?"

"_The target has already begun to restock on energy," _pointed out Mauraxus.

"It's insufficient."

Mauraxus wasn't convinced, but said nothing.

"_Soon." _the dracolich thought to itself, making his sword swish around his skeletal body. _"Soon."_

* * *

><p>Veil decided that she liked this 'spa'. Rarity had decided to get a 'full makeover', whatever that was. So far, all they had done was sit in this room full of steam, but it felt so good. Veil could feel the knotted muscles in her back just loosen and relax. The steam stuck to her fur, to her mane, making Veil drip warm water all over. She didn't mind. It was miles better than having to be surrounded by paintings of places she didn't remember and being tormented by dark spirits.<p>

Plus, no pain. Veil wondered why, but in the end decided she didn't really care.

Next up was some kind of bath. Veil was told to sit still while a unicorn with a very shiny green coat come in and rubbed…liquids in her mane and tail. It smelled nice, and it reminded her of something, just she couldn't remember what.

Soon Veil and Rarity were covered in a fine lather of bubbles and foam. A pink pony, her blue mane held back with a white hairband, began to shower temperate water on the pair while the unicorn combed their manes. Veil's mane was knotted and full of snarls, but whatever the sweet smelling liquid had been, it had gotten rid of all those, allowing the comb to slide almost effortlessly through, catching on only a few tangles during the whole exercise. After their tails had been combed thoroughly, the staff went off to pick up dry towels from a cabinet across the room. Seemed like a good time to start a conversation.

"Rarity?"

"Mmm?"

"What did they rub in our manes? It smells so nice."

Rarity turned her head slightly. "Oh, the shampoo. It's made of Equestrian lilies mixed with a special blend of herbs. It does smell rather nice, doesn't it? The lilies take special care to grow and are good for the skin."

The staff returned with the towels and began to gently dry their clients off. Veil was still wearing her bracer, but had discarded her wing guards, laying them carefully on the shelf just outside the spa suite. Parting with them had been easier then she had thought.

A few minutes and an expert drying session later, Veil and Rarity stood up from their mats and let the spa staff escort them to another room. This room was dry, and had several odd-looking apparatus standing around. Rarity sauntered over to one of them and sat down beneath it, the large bowl shaped device moving down to cover her head. Veil hesitated.

"What's the matter, dear, never had your hair done before?" Rarity asked from beneath the dryer.

Veil shook her head, damp mane whipping around her face.

"Well, first time for everything," Chided the white unicorn, whose mane was already in curlers.

* * *

><p>"Ah'm here to pick up the cakes, Pinkie."<p>

Pinkie carried out a tall stack of sponge cakes out for her friend Applejack whilst she counted out the appropriate number of bits. The Cutie Mark Crusaders had left Rarity's house as soon as the sun had risen, following Apple Bloom's idea that they might be able to get their Cutie Marks from baking without using a recipe. So they had sent Applejack to buy some cakes for them to 'examine'. Applejack shook her head. While it was a relatively harmless idea compared to the trio's usual schemes, the orange earth pony had a nasty feeling it wouldn't end well.

"Ah'm sorry to comb bother you so early, but them Cutie Mark Crusaders seem so convinced this is the right way, there's no keepin' 'em quiet."

Pinkie Pie blew a strand of candyfloss-esque hair from her mouth and happily deposited the cakes on the countertop, exchanging them for the bits her farmer friend handed over.

"Relax, Applejack! I bake the same way! Just stare at the ingredients, right?"

"Um, no. They're staring at the cake."

"Ooh! Maybe they can _unbake_ the cake. I'd love to see that! Tell me if it works, ok?"

Applejack gave her pink friend a concerned look as she picked up the cakes. "Sure." She said, dragging out the second half of the word.

Applejack really wished her sister and her friends would just do what they were good at. It wouldn't be a heck of a lot easier than waking up half of Ponyville at midnight or trying to unmake cakes. Maybe if they would just sit and think…

Applejack had been trotting along, trying to figure out how to convince the Crusaders to do what they were good at, for a few minutes when she spotted Rarity and somepony she didn't recognize exiting the spa. She was pure black with a long but neatly trimmed mane.

_Thought the spa didn't open till later. _Applejack mused.

"Why hello, Applejack!" greeted Rarity. "Can we help with those boxes? They look like a rather big mouthful."

Applejack set down a few boxes and took off her hat to wipe the sweat off her brow. "Darn tootin', Rarity. Mighty kind of you. Now, I don't think I know you." Said Applejack, facing Veil, who was looking around the street wide-eyed. You'd think she'd never seen a street before.

Applejack extended a friendly hoof. "Ah'm Applejack. You new here?"

It took Veil a second to realize she was being spoken to. "Oh! Yes, yes I'm new here. I'm Veil." She had given up explaining that it wasn't her real name. When she said that, everypony just wanted to know what her name really was, and that made a whole lot of painful memories come up.

"Well, Veil, nice to meet you! Why don't you come down to Sweet Apple Acres? We could show you Ponyville on the way, unless you got something else planned?"

Veil felt conflicted. On one hoof, she wanted desperately to see the rest of this town. It was so different from Cloudsdale. On the other hoof, it would be better to get back and check if the lexicon was still secure…

The lexicon could wait. Today was her unofficial day off, after all.

"No other plans, I'll come!"

* * *

><p>The Cutie Mark Crusaders' plan didn't work, but not because they couldn't figure out how the cakes were made. They knew all too well, but since they had left Rarity's home without grabbing breakfast, the cakes were too tasty looking to resist. Scootaloo crossed off that item off the list as she and her fellow Crusaders chowed down on the last of the delicious sponge cakes.<p>

"So, I guess that means we need to come up with a new plan then?" the purple maned filly asked through a mouthful of crumbs.

"I really don't know." Sweetie Belle replied. "I thought it would take all day to figure out how to unmake a cake."

Apple Bloom groaned, trying to think of another idea. "And ah thought this'd be the day fer sure."

Applejack, Rarity, and Veil were getting to know each other better under a nearby apple tree. It was a nice day for a picnic. The sun was shining bright, and the air smelled like, well, apples.

"So Veil, how're you finding Ponyville so far?"

"It's really peaceful. It's hard to believe this is where the Elements of Harmony defeated Discord and saved Equestria." Veil looked at her companions. "Thanks."

"Whatever for?" asked Rarity, pausing mid-bite.

_The one good thing about having a black coat_, Veil thought, _is that nopony can see me blush._ "For saving Equestria from Discord…and for showing me just how amazing life is."

Now it was Rarity and Applejack's turn to blush. "Aw, it was nothing, sugarcube, just doing what needed tuh be done."

"And we wouldn't just let you wander Ponyville alone; it would be terrible for the town's reputation." Added Rarity with a smile. "Your eyes are such a remarkable shade of yellow. I've never seen anypony with quite that shade before."

Veil's reflection wavered and danced in her glass, mirroring the face of the one holding it. "They weren't always that color." She muttered to herself.

"I'm sorry dear. Did you say something?"

Veil downed the rest of her drink, gripping the glass in her clawed bracer. "Nothing."

"Uh oh, here come the Cutie Mark Crusaders." Applejack said, waving a hoof at the three fillies. "Mind ya don't give them too many ideas for getting their Cutie Marks. They've almost destroyed Ponyville on several occasions already."

"They're that dangerous?" Veil asked, her eyes widening.

The orange earth pony snorted with laughter. "No, they jus' get a little carried away once in a while. The three of 'em wouldn't hurt a fly."

Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle crowded around the picnic table.

"Hiya sis! Hi Rarity! Hi…um…"

"Girls, this is Veil. She's new in Ponyville, so please try not to overwhelm her with information, okay?" Rarity turned to Veil. "Veil, this is Apple Bloom, Scootaloo, and Sweetie Belle." She pointed at each filly as she introduced them.

"Hi Veil!" Scootaloo piped up. "We're trying to get our Cutie Marks! Got any ideas?"

Veil unfolded and folded her wings as she thought. "I don't really have any." She admitted. The Crusaders didn't seem fazed.

"Can you tell us how you got your Cutie Mark then?" Sweetie Belle inquired, looking at Veil's flank. "Anything helps."

The three fillies' attention was now focused on the white-outlined belled jester's hat that emblazoned Veil's flanks. Rarity had been privately wondering about this herself, as she hadn't heard Veil crack so much as a single joke during their entire time at the spa. And, if memory served, weren't jesters supposed to be funny?

Veil, on the other hoof, was trying to think of how to explain this. This wasn't her original Cutie Mark. She knew that much, but what she _didn't _know was what her real one had been. Or had her talent changed while she had been away? It made the pegasus shiver slightly to think that whatever was following her had the power to change her destiny and purpose. She felt chilled suddenly, and her right foreleg began to ache.

Applejack noticed Veil's discomfort. Most other ponies would eagerly share the tale of how they had received their Cutie Marks, as it was when they discovered their special talent. It was a many a pony's proudest moment in their life, and she herself remembered the day she had returned to Sweet Apple Acres and received the three apples on her flank that she now bore proudly.

"Hey," the farm mare whispered. "You don't have to tell them if ya don't remember. Just tell them the truth."

"The truth…" Veil whispered, trying to rub the ache away.

'The truth is," Veil's voice grew louder, more confident. "the truth is that this isn't my Cutie Mark. It's not really a jester's hat, and I have no idea how I got it. I don't even know what it means."

The Crusaders were understandably confused. After all, they had pretty much interviewed every pony in Ponyville, but they had never received a response like this.

"But, but if you don't know what it means, why is it your Cutie Mark?" Asked Apple Bloom, who was cross-eyed from trying to figure this out. "It totally goes against everything a Cutie Mark stands for!"

"Are you sure you don't remember?" Scootaloo pleaded.

Veil would have responded no, she didn't, but was suddenly struck down with a stinging pain in her foreleg. She looked at it, bracer and all, shocked to see red patches forming on the white bandages beneath. She was bleeding again. How long until the sunlight-induced pain came too? She wasn't going to wait and find out. The black pegasus got up, but tripped over her own hooves and landed flat on the grass.

"Urgh…" She needed to get manor…hospital. Anywhere with painkillers, supernatural or otherwise. The hospital was nearer.

"Can anypony tell me-Aah! Where the hospital is?" Veil choked out, the pain intensifying. Spikes of sharp needling amidst the dull constant ache.

Applejack, who had been watching this grimly, hefted Veil onto her back and began to make off for the hospital when she remember that it was almost noon, most of the doctors and nurses would be out on break, and, as Granny Smith had told them, moving an injured pony too much could hurt them as much as not doing anything.

Instead, the orange pony set Veil down as gently as she could on the grass and galloped off toward the barn for the first-aid kit that she kept stashed there in case of farm accidents. The other four stood vigil around Veil, who by now was still but winced as each heartbeat sent a fresh wave of agony through her thin body.

For Veil, everything now had a red haze around it, like she had red glasses on, and her vision pulsed and distorted everything she saw. Rarity's face, murmuring in her ear. Something she couldn't process. Probably a word of comfort. The Crusaders running off to Celestia knew where. Applejack, her blond mane flowing in the wind as she returned with some kind of box. Somepony was tugging at her bracer. It refused to come off. Warm, slick blood pooled around her foreleg. Roaring in her ears. Darkness forming at the edges of her field of view. Applejack and Rarity's mouths moving, but no sound coming out. Losing feeling in her body, but she could feel every heartbeat as if forced blood out of her system. Rarity was gone now. No, she was back. Other ponies with her. Veil didn't have the strength to try and recognize who. The trees began to bend around the entire scene, reaching out with their any fingered branches to seize her. A huge sword, flying out of the air and slamming into the ground, sparking with energy. Her mane, being moved out of her face.

Veil gave up and let the darkness envelop her like a blanket.

* * *

><p>Twilight and Fluttershy had met up with Rainbow Dash and Pinkie Pie outside Sugarcube Corner, both parties looking for the same pony. They had then followed Twilight's tracking spell to the spa, then down the path the Sweet Apple Acres. It had been a fun trip, all of them discussing how they would try to help Veil remember what her name was and who she used to be. It wasn't until Rarity had come flying down the path, mane streaming in the wind, that they had gotten worried.<p>

Twilight had tried her best healing spells, but nothing seemed to help. Veil was out cold, her breathing shallow and rapid.

Far off in the distance, Ponyville's clock tower rang. Once, twice, thrice, all the way up to twelve.

Then a gigantic black-bladed sword had come thundering out of the sky, wreathed in blue sparks, embedding itself halfway into the ground.

_Author's Notes_

_Well, the moment we've been waiting for has arrived. Feel free to leave a review, but don't do it just to make me feel better. _


	16. 14 Confrontation

14 Confrontation

The skies darkened. The wind picked up.

Trouble was here. They could all feel it. The six Elements of Harmony stared at the towering weapon which now stood before them, watching the vivid blue sparks coil and lash around at the air. The Crusaders were down the path screaming their heads off before anypony could stop them. It was probably for the best, considering what came next.

Something so foreign, it was almost incomprehensible.

So much power was pouring forth that within moments, every pony in the general area was driven to their knees by the sheer magnitude. It became s struggle to even stay awake, to stay sane. Whispers filled their ears…whispers which the ponies could not understand, could not process with their hearts or minds. It had a tinge of Discord to it, similar in the way that it was just a step out of tune with reality, but retained enough to tap into the tangible world and bring destruction and woe.

Twilight and Rarity were the most affected. Unicorns had a natural affinity for magic, and could sense when it was being used. The sword was emitting crushing amounts of energy, most of it magical, and it was overloading the two unicorns' systems. They could feel it probing around the area, probing around their very _minds_, searching for something and not caring what it did in the process. And wherever it touched, it left a dark stain on their minds.

The rush of the wind. Thousands of voices moaning for release, a distressing lamentation of the doomed. The demonic songs of the sword filled their minds, sending shockwaves through their consciousness.

Twilight tried and failed to cast a protective bubble around them. Gravity seemed to have increased tenfold. The ponies could feel something inside them being slowly, excruciatingly torn out, something deep within their chests.

It would have succeeded too, had not a liquid black hand stretched out of the clouds and yanked the evil thing out of the ground, tossing it back up and out of sight.

The debilitating effects instantly ceased. The ponies in the clearing felt their heads clear at once, but whatever that had been, it had sucked all the strength from their bodies. Nopony could move a muscle.

A black meteor streaked from the heavens, smashed into the ground, and covered the immediate area with black smoke. And floating in the center of the smokescreen was a red eye, and as the smog cleared, they could see it was attached to a flat, triangular head, with a body with had abnormally long arms, a dark whirlwind instead of feet, and a hunched gait that made it look shorter than it really was.

Its flat head rotated a full 360 degrees, surveying the area with its piercing crimson gaze. Then, slowly, leisurely, it began to advance on the seven helpless mares, emitting blue sparks here and there.

The thing reached Rarity, reaching down with those abnormally long arms. Thin, tapered fingers stretched out, inched from the fashionista's forehead.

* * *

><p>"Stop!" a voice rang out in the clearing, causing the red eyed one to pause and look up. It hissed.<p>

For there, standing tall and defiant, was Veil, her disheveled mane blowing chaotically in the roaring gale. Both wings extended, baring the blades mounted on them threateningly. Her eyes glowed radiantly like twin searchlights through the lingering smoke, and her right foreleg was raised, pointing directly at the creature threatening her friend.

_How can she do that? _Twilight wondered as she tried to lift herself off the grass. _Is there some kind of magic I don't know that she does?_ Later the lavender unicorn would realize how silly that question sounded. Of course there was.

"Get away from Rarity, and leave me alone!" Veil shouted at the red eyed one. Its only response was to rear up and emit another blast of azure sparks. Veil took to the skies to avoid the attack, landing in across from her foe.

Then it spoke. A raspy, hissing voice. _'You haven't changed. Still the stubborn one, I see.' _It made a sound which might have been a laugh. _'I will see you returned all the same, right after I harvest these ones for the superior.'_

And it reached back down to touch Rarity.

There was a blur of black, and the creature reared back to avoid it. Veil had launched herself at the adversary, trying to claw it with her bracer. She skidded to a stop in front of Fluttershy and held her right foreleg out to the side. Ruby blood sheeted from the wound, but the enraged black pegasus showed no signs that she felt pain. The claw on the end clenched, and with a _click_, the blade mounted on the bottom pivoted out, extending to a full two feet as it swung. The weapon snapped into place, glowing with runes and symbols of the arcane.

"Last warning." The threat was spat out in a tone which the other six had never heard Veil use before. "Get. Away. From. My. Friends."

* * *

><p>Veil had woken up when the creature had come screaming from the skies. Its arrival had woken her like a splash of iced water to the face. Through the haze of pain, blood, and sweat, she saw her friends, the Elements of Harmony, lying prone and defenseless while that horrible <em>thing<em> had emerged from the smoke. Her body felt like it had been run over by the train she had seen on the way to Sweet Apple Acres, and her wound throbbed and stung.

_What happened? What's going on? _Veil forced her eyes to focus, scanning the area. Through the headache brought on by the effort, she was horrified to see the red eyed creature not go for her, but approach Rarity, who had been completely disabled by the black sword's energy drain.

Veil couldn't let this happen. It was her fault that this was happening in the first place. If she hadn't wandered out of the manor, her friends wouldn't be in this mess.

If she hadn't wandered out of the manor, she'd more than likely have succumbed to the mental torment brought on by the manor itself. Twilight Sparkle, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, and Applejack had all tried so very hard to make her feel welcome and had even risked their lives to try and help her figure out her past.

And now this abominable being of smoke and shadow was going to hurt them. Maybe it already had.

Veil's mind exploded with fury. How dare this creature, whatever it was, harm her friends, her friends who had done nothing wrong? Veil would have understood if it was just coming for her. She deserved it, after all that she had done. But by Celestia, Veil wasn't going to lie down while whatever it was ravaged her friends.

And so Veil had risen to the challenge and, against everything her weary body told her, the ebony pegasus had stood up and directed all her anger at the dark being, which was just about to make contact with Rarity's forehead.

It was time to stop running.

* * *

><p>In all her years of studying magic and watching the guards train in Canterlot, Twilight had never seen anything like the skirmish which took place that afternoon. Of course, <em>skirmish<em> was a pretty light term for what happened next.

The red eyed one reached out with both its long arms and shot like a javelin at Veil, who raised her foreleg and parried the strike aside, the pair of them clashing with a blinding burst of sparks. Without losing any momentum, the demonic creature stuck out with its tapered lower body, the underside lengthening into a needlepoint spike which grew barbs. Veil's wings pumped vigorously as she hopped back to avoid getting her head staved in. Clumps of dirt and grass were scattered into the air as the being withdrew its spiked appendage.

Veil's opponent crossed its arms around its front, spinning around and rushing her like a drill, making the air screech as it swiftly closed the distance between them. Veil cried out as the spin attack carved a bloody furrow under her wing. She dropped to one knee, breathing heavily.

'_You've grown sloppy, Veil. Any competent operative could defeat you easily.' _The red eyed one landed just above the ground, shifting back to its first form and drifting over to Veil. It raised an arm, changing it into a long, single edged blade of darkness.

It swung downwards.

There was a deafening screech as the monster's arm and Veil's bracer blade slid and pushed against each other. Veil gritted her teeth and pushed back with all her might, but her opponent was far too strong. The blades of the two combatants slowly, inexorably, began to move toward the ebony pegasus's neck.

Veil saw the razor sharp edge of her own weapon come closer to her body. _No…It can't end like this…I've got to protect my friends!_

The runes on Veil's bracer blade began to glow with an ominous red light, illuminating her face, scrunched up with concentration.

'_You are mine.'_ Not a threat. A statement of fact.

Veil felt her anger grow all the more. She hated that she was going to lose, hated that once she was gone, it would finish the rest of the ponies in the clearing.

Veil vanished in an explosion of blue sparks; the sudden vanish in resistance causing the shadowy creature's weaponized arm to sink into the soft ground. Veil appeared behind her enemy, only for it to spin its body 180 degrees and block her strike with ease. The two began to exchange blows, the ringing of their armaments echoing around the clearing. Veil used her wing guards almost as much as she used her bracer blade, rotating her wings to parry and slash at the red eyed one, who had transformed its other arm into a blade as well. They gained speed, the sound of their fighting akin to that of dropping a handful of coins on a cement floor.

And still Twilight and her friends could not find the strength to pick themselves up to help. They could only watch as the two dark beings fought each other with a speed and ferocity they had never seen. It was all they could do to keep watching.

Veil was growing tired, but was determined not to let it show. Her foreleg, which had been bleeding when the battle had begun, was not doing so anymore, or if it was, she couldn't feel it; there was no time for her to even sneak a glance at herself, lest her opponent gain the upper hoof.

After what felt like an hour of clashing with each other, Veil's red-eyed enemy suddenly reverted its left arm back to a claw and slapped her, hard. Caught by surprise, the ebony pegasus was sent spinning to the ground by the impact. Her foe followed up the attack by firing a beam of bright blue light at her from the palm of its hand, forcing Veil to roll away to avoid getting caught in the blast. The clutched at her side-the wound she had taken from the drill rush attack was starting to hurt.

The red eyed one fired a second blast of blue energy, this one searing the area next to Veil's tail, blackening the grass with a banshee-like wail. Veil righted herself and threw herself at her enemy with only one thought in her head. She was met mid-dive with a beam of crimson energy fired straight from the dark being's single eye. Veil fell back onto the floor, tried to get up, but couldn't. Her hooves were bound in place with shackles of red light.

Her anger overflowing, Veil strained against her bonds to no avail. The red eyed creature approached, shifted its arm into a blade, and raised it for the final blow.

It never came.

Veil looked on in amazement as the same jet-black sword from before rocketed out of the thunderclouds overhead and stabbed itself into her enemy's midsection and withdrew, levitating above the ground. The monster's eye rolled back in its triangular head, and with a final nightmarish shriek, the whole thing exploded into dark smoke that whispered off back toward the manor. The shackles of light dissipated, leaving Veil free to stand up, which she did.

She wished she hadn't. What came next was possibly worse.

The massive skeleton of a dragon alighted on the grass, making deep depressions in the turf with its claws. Clasped in its left paw was a beautifully glowing orb, shining with all the colors of the rainbow, and with colors that nopony could quite distinguish. The inside of the skeleton was lit with a venomous green glow that reminded Veil of a poisonous snake. The skeleton made not a sound as it landed, save for the wind whistling between the massive ribcage.

And the whole thing was alive. From within the dark recesses of Veil's brain, a piece of long-forgotten information floated out.

_Dracolich._

_Celestia help me. _She begged, despair clouding her yellow eyes. _I can't fight a dracolich. Nopony can!_

* * *

><p>Its neck and tail undulating as it approached, Mauraxus could not help but feel good. Not only did it have the target right in front of it, but there were six other good-sized souls to harvest, completely drained by the sword's magic. But that could wait. What mattered was the orb it had clasped in its left paw.<p>

"_Do you know who I am?" _Mauraxus challenged Veil as he towered over the pegasus. The target shook her head, trembling all over.

The bone dragon raised its head and neck up to look down at Veil. "_I am Mauraxus, Gigas and Outer Realm Operative. Of course, this will make no sense to you, as one of your previous collegues wiped your memory."_

"_I watched your battle with our representative. Your technique has grown careless, and you have completely no regard for style and finesse. In short, _Veil,_ you are no match for me. I could destroy you right now." _

"_But I am here to give you a message."_ Mauraxus held the orb up for Veil to see. The light from the globe lit up her eyes. "_If you will but come back to the manor for a discussion, we can negotiate the return of this: your memory." _

"Just…a discussion? Nothing else?" Veil was incredulous. She couldn't believe that it was going to be that easy.

How right she was, Mauraxus thought. If she knew what they had planned, the target may as well have stabbed herself right then. It would certainly be less painful than what would happen next.

"_Nothing else." _Promised the dracolich._ "just a discussion and perhaps a cup of tea. Why don't you bring your companions? They look like they could use some…refreshment."_

"What are you trying to pull? Give that back to me now!" Veil demanded, the cold air making her injuries burn like liquid fire.

But the dracolich said nothing, only gave a deep, rumbling laugh and took to the skies, vanishing among the clouds, the orb of Veil's past memory tightly gripped.

"_If you want it, come and take it." _

Thunder boomed and lightning crackled, drowning the sound of dark vindictive mirth.

It began to rain, great big drops mixing with Veil's tears.

* * *

><p><em>Author's Notes<em>

_First try writing a fight scene. Any kind of feedback would be appreciated, but like before, it's your choice to leave a review or not. The power is in your hands…hooves. Things are going to get darker from here on…maybe._


	17. 15 Much Ado

Chapter 15-Much Ado

* * *

><p>Perhaps it was a good thing that nearly all the hospital staff at Ponyville Urgent Care had gone out to refresh themselves at noon, because it meant that they would be well rested for when Big Macintosh and several other ponies from around Sweet Apple Acres came galloping through the glass double doors and clamored at the receptionist for help.<p>

Applejack's brother had just been returning from plowing their most recent field when he had seen a black flash near the edge of his vision and turned to look, releasing his trademark straw stalk as his jaw dropped with amazement. There, right over the clearing in front of the barn, was a massive thundercloud that swirled around and emitted what looked like blue sparks. He would have stood there a while longer, but his shock was interrupted by a little auditory input.

There was there sound of clashing and slashing of steel, so loud and so rapid that it sounded like a jackhammer being used on a metal wall. Once he had gotten closer, he could see bursts of light through the trees and two dark colored creatures fighting each other. They seemed to be the source of the noise, but the thunderstorm…that had nothing to do with them, right? The cherry red stallion looked up at the clouds. They were swirling like soup in a pot right over the dueling pair.

Eeyup, those two had something to do with the thunderstorm. Definitely.

But after watching just a few seconds of the duel, Big Mac decided concluded that if he were to jump in and interfere, he might get cut to ribbons. Moreover, he saw with growing horror that his sister Applejack and her friends were all lying on the ground, not moving. Big Mac shrank further back into the shadows, careful not to make any loud noises. If those two had taken down the Elements of Harmony, what chance did a lone farmpony have?

So, even though it pained his heart to leave his friends in range of two crazed blade-wielding maniacs, Big Mac had hunkered down in a bunch of shrubbery within the copse and watched carefully to see whether he should run off for the Royal Guard or not.

The duel had gone on for long enough for Big Mac to find out that one of the combatants was not a pony, and seemed Tartarus-bent on killing the other, who was a pony, but of a black shade that he never seen before. She fought back valiantly, keeping her distance from the immobile ponies, making sure the fight never strayed too close to them.

The exchange of blows had been ruthless, both fighters using all manner of maneuvers to try and gain the advantage. Did that pony have blades mounted on her wings? Huh. That was a new one.

However, Big Mac could see that the pony with the hoof blade was starting to get worn out. She was hiding it well, but the sagging of the shoulders and slightly slumped shoulders was a sign the farmpony recognized too well; he had often seen the same look on Applejack during Applebuck Season. She was bleeding too, her blood painting red splatters on the windswept grass.

When the strange being had started using magic and begun to shoot beams of light, Big Macintosh made up his mind. Picking himself up from the bush, the red stallion turned away and galloped straight for Ponyville, readying himself to gather every able-bodied stallion he could find. If that thing got loose, they would need all the help they could get.

* * *

><p>Twilight Sparkle could not remember the last time she had felt so drained of strength. She was vaguely aware that she was being moved, but as it turned out, whatever the sword had done, it hadn't all gone away completely because halfway through the duel between Veil and the red eyed one, she had been struck down with a feeling of overwhelming grogginess. When she had woken up, it was in a familiar setting, but she just couldn't seem to be able to recall where. The lavender unicorn painstakingly cracked open one eye and surveyed the surroundings.<p>

White walls.

Beeping sound.

Clean, crisp sheets.

A nurse trotting past the open door pushing a trolley loaded with bandages and towels.

Yep. It was Ponyville Urgent Care Hospital. Again.

Twilight's mouth felt like a sponge had been shoved inside and then left there until all the moisture was gone. She automatically engaged a spell to levitate the glass of water that was next to her bedside table to her mouth, but for whatever reason, the spell would not activate. Her horn glowed pathetically then spluttered out altogether.

_I must be too tired even to work magic._ Twilight concluded, the thought bringing on the slightest hint of a headache. Dehydration was probably also a key factor.

_What a humiliating position for the protégé of Princess Celestia to be in. Not even able to get herself a drink of water. I hope the others fared better than me._

Twilight tried to move her hooves. She did not accomplish much more than a few inches of movement before she felt too exhausted to do anything but lie back and wait for somepony to notice.

The unicorn felt something moving her pillows to a more upright position, a curved rim of glass being eased between her lips. A trickle of water, sweeter than anything she had ever tasted, ran into Twilight's parched mouth, bringing with it life and awakening. It felt so good that in a few seconds, the glass was completely drained and she finally found the strength to open her eyes proper.

A pair of yellow eyes was looking back at her. Eyes clouded with worry and sadness, rimmed with quivering tears.

"Veil?"

She looked a mess. Dried blood caked through her entire mane, matting it and rendering the spa treatment earlier utterly pointless. More blood was mottling the pegasus's coat and face. Her wings' feathers were bent and ruffled and hung down, dragging on the white linoleum tiles. There was a hastily wrapped bandage around her side and on her right foreleg, which seemed to be the only clean part. The claw on the end held the glass Twilight had been drinking from.

"How do you feel?" she asked gently while refilling the glass.

"Like I spent two weeks out in the desert." Twilight croaked. Veil started to tip the glass to Twilight's lips, but the unicorn waved a hoof before asking "What happened? How are the others?"

Veil put the glass on the table. "The others…they're right here." She made a face and felt her side, where the red eyed one had cut her. "Hurts more than it did back then." She said quietly. "even with painkillers."

Twilight turned her head and did a cursory check of the room. On the right, tucked in up to the neck, was Fluttershy, her chest rising and falling slowly while she slept. On the left, Applejack, her Stetson hat hung carefully on a bedpost. In the far side's beds, mostly hidden by sheet-covered bodies, was the curly pink mane of Pinkie, a sticking out cyan wing, and a white hoof dangling out from under the crisp blankets. Twilight was relieved to see that besides not being awake, none of her friends seemed to have been affected by the encounter...just how long had it been?

"Veil," Twilight began, sitting up a little straighter, "What time is it?"

"Almost one fifteen. We arrived about one o'clock." The ebony pegasus fidgeted with a joint on her bracer before adding quietly "I thought you wouldn't make it. The doctor, Sure Cure, said it looked like your systems were on the verge of shutting down."

"Well, it'll take more than watching a duel between one of my friends and a dark monster to finish me." Assured Twilight. She expected Veil to lighten up, to at least smile. What she did was get a worried look on her face and start pacing around in a small circle, wincing every other step.

"It'll be back. It told me." She muttered, her hoofsteps growing shakier and shakier.

"Who? The monster?" Twilight leaned a bit further out from under the blankets. "But…you beat it, right? That's how come we're all here and not dead back at Sweet Apple Acres, right? You won."

The blood-covered pony stopped pacing and wobbled to Twilight's bedside. She looked wearier than Twilight had ever seen her. Veil rested her weight on the mattress, sliding herself towards her friend, leaving a red smudge on the white sheets.

"No, Twilight. I didn't win. I…" Veil slumped over on the bed, breathing hard. "I lost, Twilight. I failed. I'm sorry. I…I wasn't strong enough. I wasn't _good_ enough to beat them. And because of me, you almost died…"

"It's not that bad…" Twilight said. "I'm sure it would have all worked out."

"You don't get it. It _is_ that bad. I'm a terrible friend if I can't even protect you. You saved my life, and I can't even return the favor. I-I should just end it all." Veil said miserably into the blanket, the blade on her bracer flicking out and glowing. "It'll save them the trouble." She raised the edge of the weapon to her throat, turning her face away from her friend.

Twilight lunged out of bed and grabbed Veil's right foreleg. She tried using magic to shut the weapon, but once again, the armor resisted her telekinesis.

"Are you crazy? You can't kill yourself! You told me that you didn't want to die! Suicide isn't the answer!"

"What else can I do?" Veil said, lowering the blade a fraction. "I've got nothing else left to live for."

"You've still got us," The lavender unicorn said, easing back into bed, the sudden exertion making her head ache. "That's something to live for, surely?"

And then Veil lost it completely, wrapping her hooves around the lavender unicorn's body tightly and crying. Twilight ignored the smell of blood and the bracer digging into her back and simply returned the hug, running her hooves through Veil's mane the same way her brother had used to do for her when she got sad back in Canterlot.

"It's too much, Twilight. I feel like everything I know is slipping away from me, bit by bit."

Twilight didn't know what to say. She wished that she knew what and who Veil was, just so she could tell her and cheer her up a little.

"I've lost my name, my family, my memory, my friends!" Wailed the distraught pegasus, dampening Twilight's shoulder as she wept. "And, and back at the farm,…I was so close to losing _you_." Veil looked up into Twilight's eyes, dark, calming purple meeting bright, harsh yellow. "You're the only good thing that's happened to me in a long time." She whispered. "I couldn't lose you, Twilight. I don't want to be responsible for the deaths of anypony else."

The two of them stayed locked in an embrace, the unicorn doing her best to calm the pegasus down. Never in all of her years of research and experiments had Twilight ever seen anything like this. Clearly, what she had experienced back in the clearing was only the tip of the metaphorical iceberg. There was something much bigger going on here, and it was all coming down on this pony that trying so very hard not to let them down. With a pang of sorrow, Twilight realized that she was probably the closest friend Veil had, and they had only met a few days ago. Yet she was, listening to the black pony pour her heart out. What did that say about how much she missed her family and friends from seventy years ago? The heartache must be crushing her.

"Veil." Twilight crooned after what she felt was an appropriately long period of time. "I want to help you, I really do. So please," Twilight put all the sincerity and kindness she could muster into her request. "Please, I need to know what happened after I passed out. Is there something you're not telling me?"

Veil sniffled and mewled softly, tears falling from her half-closed eyes.

"There, there," murmured Twilight. "You don't have to tell me right away, but I really need to know to help you. Maybe even the Princess could help." Twilight was dumbfounded that she hadn't thought of this before. She reached out and jabbed the button on the side of her bed with a cross on it. Sure Cure, the stallion from before, came galloping in as quietly as he could.

"Yes? Is something the matter?"

"I need somepony to go the Ponyville Library, and get the baby dragon Spike to send an emergency letter to Princess Celestia as soon as possible."

Sure Cure threw a crisp salute and galloped out, his coat and tie flapping in the wind.

Once the stallion was gone, Twilight patted Veil on the head. "You hear that, Veil? Princess Celestia will come to help you. Stay strong. I know you can make it through this." She smiled understandingly. "Now, will you please, please tell me what happened? I honestly _do _want to help you."

_And please, tell me before the others wake up. I don't think Veil could take much more stress, no matter how little._ Thought Twilight desperately.

Veil took several shaky breaths, each one ever so slightly more stable than the last, until she was no longer on the verge of tears.

"All right, I'll tell you. The Princess can help me, right?"

"Right."

A deep breath. "After you passed out, the red eyed one…beat me. It had me tied up on the floor, and was just about to…finish it, when-Ah..." Veil looked at her right foreleg. It was still tightly wrapped up, no blood yet. "It was about to kill me. I remember feeling so angry and disappointed. It-it didn't seem fair to die after fighting for someone else. And then, out of the sky, the same sword that knocked you all out flew down and stabbed the monster right through the chest."

"But it only got worse. After the smoke monster was gone, a dracolich fell out of the clouds and landed in front of me."

Twilight timidly raised a hoof. "What's a dracolich? I've never heard of one."

"Bone dragon." There wasn't really much more to say, so Twilight fell silent again, promising herself that she would research dracoliches once she had some free time. It sounded like such an interesting subject.

"It told me that if I wanted my memory back, I have to go back to the…manor. I have to go have negotiations with them. But I know it just wants to kill me, and I'll never know who I was!"

"I'm trapped. If I go back, I'm dead. If I stay here, they'll come back for me, and I'm dead anyway!" Veil slowly let go of Twilight, settling into a slumped position on the floor. ""I don't know what to do."

Twilight slid out of bed, dropping down next to Veil, draping a hoof around her skinny body.

"Veil, of everything you've said is true, then you really have only once choice. You have to go into the manor." Outside, thunder rumbled as soon as the words left Twilight's mouth. Veil cringed.

"You have nothing to lose. And tell you what," Twilight had a sudden inspiration. "I'll go with you!"

"You can't! I can't ask you to come with me! I've done enough wrong things as it is. If something happened to you because of me, I wouldn't be able to live with myself anymore."

"But you can't do it alone. Trust me, I've taken on Nightmare Moon and Discord. A bone dragon should be no problem, especially if the others come too!"

"Others!" Veil was scandalized. "I can't even ask you, much less them to go with me. And besides, what if they don't want to come? I wouldn't blame them, not at all."

Twilight was undeterred. "I'm sure I can convince them."

"But-"

"No buts. While the Princess responds, _we'll_ go into the manor and talk to this bone dragon. See if he'll give back your memory."

Veil thought it might be good to mention that if they encountered the sword again, it might do a whole lot worse than drain their energy. It might cleave them in two. But it felt so good just to have friends who would be willing to stand with her. She wished they had been there when the manticores had attacked her.

But it was too late for regrets. Twilight was right. There was nothing else for it.

But…

But she couldn't let her friends get hurt just because of a personal problem. It was selfish of her even to think she had the right to ask favors of _anypony_ after…no. Stop thinking about the past. Listen to Rainbow Dash.

Veil made up her mind. Twilight or not, tomorrow morning, she was heading for the manor. At least if she got attacked there, nopony from Ponyville would be hurt.

* * *

><p>"Another message to intercept. Honestly, I could be doing so many more worthwhile things than this."<p>

Sirmyurin snatched a sealed scroll from out of the air, snapped it open with a single flick of a dark liquid wrist, and began to rewrite it in a manner more pleasing to him. He released the scroll, watching as it transformed back into the emerald lick of flame it had once been.

Sirmyurin was getting bored. For days, the shadowy creature had been surveying all of the land from Ponyville to Canterlot to Manehattan, and after the second day had gathered every last scrap of information that had seemed useful. Of course, it still had to be transcribed, but that could wait until the target, Veil, was inside the manor. For now, the superior was helping Mauraxus prepare for the 'negotiations', if the target even had the nerve to show up at all. Sirmyurin privately thought that she wouldn't. In fact, it would be better if she didn't.

But Mauraxus and the superior thought differently. Ah well. If she showed herself, they could discuss it all nicely at a table or something.

Maybe they could even have tea and biscuits. Perhaps some crumpets too.

"Mmm. Crumpets."

* * *

><p>Author's Notes<p>

Sorry about the delay, it'sbeen chaotic with exams and all. Enjoy and leave a review...please.


	18. 16 Insanitea Party

Chapter 16

…InSAniTEA PartY…

* * *

><p><em><strong>Everything is in order. Sirmyurin mill be returning any moment now, and we will finally be able to host our negotiations. <strong>_

"_Excellent. Finally, something amusing to do." _Mauraxus's sword did a few twirls in the air. "_I did not anticipate having to destroy Grimm's shade. Officer Grimm will not be pleased." _

_**It could not be helped. We will simply present evidence that it went berserk and disobeyed orders. **_

"_And after this entire affair is over, I will have my reward?" _

_**Indeed. You've done well, Mauraxus. Perhaps you can handle the first few phases?**_

"_With pleasure, my superior. I take it that Sirmyurin will be attending to the target?"_

_**That is correct. However, if the mark comes alone, it will be a very short, very ruthless negotiation.**_

"_I understand. But what if the target does not come alone?"_

The superior's grin absorbed all the light from the already dim room.

_**Then it is up to Sirmyurin to do what he does best: breaking minds.**_

* * *

><p>"Well, here we are again. In front of the manor."<p>

Veil, Twilight Sparkle, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rarity, Applejack, and Rainbow Dash stood in the overgrown courtyard, surrounded by the crumbling statuary, staring at the suspiciously new looking doormat that had materialized in front of the door. Pinkie was having a staring contest with the decapitated head of a stone lion. She was keeping up a good fight, all things considered.

"This feels like a trap." Rarity concluded. "They're expecting us, why else would they put out a brand new doormat?"

"Ah'm with Rarity on this one. It wouldn't be a good idea to just rush in there." Agreed Applejack. "Not doing the right thing might end with us gettin' bucked in the teeth, or worse." The farm mare rolled her muscular shoulders, working out all the stiffness that lying in bed all day had given her.

The door swung open with a quiet slithering noise, revealing a brightly lit interior, illuminated by scores of candles, all burning with a spectral blue flame, mounted on the wall. The carpet looked like it had been cleaned, and all of the picture frames they could see had been polished to a gleam.

It looked warm and inviting and safe.

It most definitely looked like a trap.

* * *

><p>Veil gulped and set a hoof inside. For a split second, everypony present could have sworn the carpeted floor and changed into a black and white checkerboard pattern, but before any of them could give it a second thought, the carpet had returned, casting doubt on whether the whole thing had been a trick of the eye or not. Nothing else out of the ordinary happened, but as soon as all seven of the mares were inside, their ears began picking up something faint, coming from the second floor stairs.<p>

Twilight and Veil's pupils shrank to pinpricks. It was that sound again.

The music box's tune. Faint, but it was there if you listened hard.

Things were _not_ off to a good start.

Then the front door slammed shut, the lock clicking at it sealed them in.

"We're in trouble, aren't we?" asked Rainbow Dash flatly.

* * *

><p>As the party wordlessly climbed the stairs, Twilight suddenly remembered the picture at the top. She galloped up to the front of the group to stop them, to try and cover it, but once she got to the top, she saw that the evil painting had been removed, leaving a nice clean patch of wallpaper in its place.<p>

"Hey Twilight, what's the hurry?" Pinkie piped up from the stairs. "Are there cupcakes up there? How about cake?"

"There's no cake, Pinkie. There's just-"

The pair of them stopped talking, for at that very moment, there was what sounded unpleasantly like a roar from one of the many doors on the first floor. A loud, angry, non pony roar. All eyes turned to the general area which it had come from.

Out of one of the doors, splintering it into matchsticks, came a nightmarish creature of spines and teeth and claws, each of its many eyes a miniature inferno, burning with an otherworldly intelligence. Whatever it was, it was a dark gray, covered with spines, and was rushing at the stairs, emitting another thunderous roar. Blue sparks danced inside its mouth, and wherever it went, it left the carpet in shreds, tearing it up with its scaly underside or rending it with its massive talons.

And it was heading right for them. All seven ponies screamed and ran and flew to the top of the stairs, the raging beast in hot pursuit. Twilight took a right turn. The others followed, wanting only to get away from whatever was chasing them. They found themselves rapidly closing in on a dead end. Twilight knew it was a dead end. This was the room where Veil's armor was kept.

They were done for.

The monster roared again and doubled its speed, gnashing its teeth as it advanced with alarming speed.

They burst through the door, Applejack slamming it with a powerful buck, expecting it to explode into splinters like the door downstairs. When it didn't, they all flopped down to the tiled floor and tried to get their heart rates back under control.

Wait.

Tiled floor? Didn't the outside have carpet…?

Fluttershy squeaked and windmilled her wings, trying to get back to the door, but it had locked itself. The rest of them directed their attention to the rest of the room, trying to figure out what the source of the timid pegasus's distress was.

Twilight gasped.

* * *

><p>Before them stood a deathly white alicorn. Its wings were spread, displaying an impressive wingspan, but the end primaries were blackened, like they had been burnt. Its front hooves had minute cracks in it, like the entire creature was made of porcelain and had not been handled too well. The horn mounted on its head was abnormally sharp, smooth and featureless. It looked like the tip of a lance. The alicorn's black mane and tail moved, like Celestia's did, but instead of the gentle undulations of the Sun Princess's mane, this one's mane writhed and convulsed like it was truly a sentient being. The tip of the alicorn's tail split into three tips, each one snapping and waving like a flag in a gale.<p>

But the most prominent feature of the pony before them was its eyes. They were catlike, with slit pupils and the exact same shade of yellow as Veil's. Black markings adorned the area around its eyes, starkly contrasting with the alicorn's white fur. Blue sparks danced around its body, gathering around its horn like moths to a flame.

It smiled, sending chills down each of the ponies' spines.

"Welcome. I am Sirmyurin. I was just about to start my morning tea. Would you care to join me?"

He raised a hoof that was cracked at the base and did a smart turn, trotting further into the room toward a magnificent ivory tea table with an intricately woven lace tablecloth. A tray holding a pile of biscuits and sandwiches adorned the center, surrounded by smaller plates of crumpets, éclairs, and cream cakes. Sirmyurin's horn glowed as blue sparks seized the large silver teapot next to the crumpets, pouring out tea into eight fine china cups in a precise, measured manner, not spilling a single drop of tea. At least, it looked and smelled like tea. But given the nature of what they had already encountered in this manor, none of the ponies felt like sitting down for a chat, much less a session of morning tea.

Sirmyurin sat down on an oddly shaped chair that materialized out of nothingness and watched them, buttering a crumpet with a very shiny knife.

"You know, the sooner we all sit down, the sooner we can actually begin addressing what you came for," he called to them. The alicorn bit into the crumpet, then dropped a sugar cube into his tea, stirring it with a spoon that it conjured from nothing.

When Twilight and the others still made no move to join him, Sirmyurin's expression changed from mildly amused to concern. He put the crumpet down on his saucer.

"Is something the matter? It doesn't have to be tea, you know, I could just as easily get us some cider, coffee, wine, hot chocolate, or any other manner of drink, if that's your fancy," Sirmyurin's mane formed into a hand, the index finger beckoning his guests to come to the table.

"Are you for real?" demanded Rainbow Dash, having gathered up her courage to ask. "If we go over there, something's going to drop out of the ceiling, or the tea will be poisoned, or, or something, isn't it? Or maybe that black red eyed monster's going to attack us! Who are you, anyway?"

Sirmyurin raised his teacup to his mouth, blew gently and took a sip. He set the cup on its saucer with a delicate _clink_. Then the alicorn arose from the table and walked over quietly, his wings folded elegantly across his back.

"My dear Rainbow Dash," he began, the cyan pegasus flinching when she heard her name coming from Sirmyurin's mouth. "If my associates have given you such a poor display of our hospitality, then on behalf of all of us, I apologize."

Sirmyurin swept a white foreleg in front of his chest as the alicorn bent the rest of its long legs in a deep bow, his horn almost brushing the floor.

"But please, believe me when I say that I mean you absolutely no physical harm. You won't receive so much of a scratch from me, so won't you join me? It's rather good tea, and frankly, I feel a little uncomfortable eating by myself when you all are watching." He straightened up and gave each pony a gentle smile. "Come and have something to eat, and I'll try to explain everything as best as I can."

"Why should we trust you?" Fluttershy spoke up. "You're…one of them. You tried to hurt us yesterday."

"No, I was watching from inside the clouds. I told Mauraxus not to send in Grimm's shade, but that one never listens to me. He doesn't mean to hurt you. It's just that they've been stationed here for many of your months, and being so far from…home…takes its toll on everyone's tempers. I suspect Mauraxus may have wanted to end it quickly so we could all leave." Sirmyurin sighed and swept his gaze across the party before him. "But he had no authorization to order an attack on you. You're neutral, and the only thing Mauraxus was supposed to do was deliver an invitation. He can't even do that right."

"That being said, Fluttershy-may I call you that?" Fluttershy nodded yes. "Thank you. Now Fluttershy, I understand if you think my entire group of operatives a little ferocious, but they're only following orders, with the exception of the superior. So why don't we all have a seat and enjoy ourselves a bit? I can't possibly eat all that food myself."

Sirmyurin gave them a welcoming smile and waved a hoof at the tea table. Surely it wouldn't hurt just to have a talk? Warily, one by one, the seven mares picked a spot at the table and settled into it as Sirmyurin passed the cups and saucers around.

"There we are. Do tell me if you'd like something different, won't you?" Sirmyurin said.

The tea was delicious, just the right mix of refreshing and relaxing, with a velvety texture that slid across the tongue and down the throat, leaving oneself wanting more. For a moment, the only sound in the room was that of clinking cups and saucers and tea being drunk. Twilight emptied her cup in one long draught and looked at her host. She suppressed the urge to jump with alarm.

Something very odd was happening to Sirmyurin's face. The warm, calming smile he had been wearing was slowly stretching into a maniacal grin, displaying teeth that looked like they had been filed to points. His head was tilted to one side, and those yellow eyes were slightly unfocused, gazing at the far wall as his cup and saucer floated upside down next to his face. The tea was inexplicably staying in the cup, defying gravity.

Twilight would have liked to observe their host a while longer, but his expression abruptly changed back to that of the welcoming host, calm and demure. He caught Twilight's eye and winked. The librarian looked away. That hadn't been a friendly kind of wink. It had been a mind-your-own-business kind of wink. There was more to this than just tea and biscuits, that much she knew.

It was Veil who finally broke the silence. "All right, Sirmyurin. We're all seated, so why don't you tell us what this is all about."

Sirmyurin looked surprised. "I think you know very well why you're here, Veil, and why you asked Twilight Sparkle, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, and Fluttershy to come with you."

"Wait, how come you know all our names?"

"Oh, I know much more than that. I've been…oh, how do I say this…looking out for you." Before anypony could protest, the alicorn raised a hoof for silence.

"For the past few days, I've been watching our target, Veil here. I was told to accompany Mauraxus. If I hadn't told him to wait, I suspect he would have attacked much earlier, perhaps as soon as we exited this manor."

"I gave you time to get ready for Mauraxus's arrival, Veil. If he had chosen to strike at you in the hospital, you would all have fallen to him. You put up an excellent fight as it was." Sirmyurin nodded at Veil, who said nothing.

"So, what is it that brings you here? You did not come all this way just to have tea with me, as enjoyable as it is. What did Mauraxus promise you?"

"We're here to retrieve dear Veil's memory." Rarity said coldly. "And we're not leaving until we she gets it back, so you can tell your bone dragon friend to hand it over now."

Sirmyurin looked puzzled. "Friend? Whoever implied we were…friends?"

"Well, you are working together, are you not?" Rarity challenged.

"Hah. Just because we work with each other does not make us 'friends'. We are from completely different worlds altogether. As different as this world is to the superior's."

"Hold on!" Twilight had raised her hoof to get everyone's attention. "You're not from Equestria?"

"Goodness, no." replied Sirmyurin, selecting a cream pastry from the table and taking a bite.

"But you're an alicorn! Just like Princess Celestia!"

"Wrong. I just _look_ like an alicorn. If I were to show you what I really looked like, it would shatter your minds like glass, hence I have taken on a form that you can actually process with your brains. Quite simple, really. Like throwing gold into a fountain to get grape flavored juice, or sealing a nine way daemonic mirror with the Nightfall Grimoire: ninety third edition to stop a chrimordial paradoxium from escaping. Easy." Sirmyurin took a sip of tea, as if to prove how easy it was. "But you may think of me as an alicorn if that makes it easier. I don't mind at all."

"Uhm, okay?" was all Twilight could say to that.

_Demonic nine way paradox? Criminal mirrors? Grape juice? What?_ The unicorn had never been so overloaded with unknown information since she had left Canterlot. And what was the Nightfall Grimoire?

"I look like this so that we may talk of important matters. So please, tell me what brings you here so I can help."

"Mauraxus promised negotiations." Veil said plainly. Sirmyurin waited until Pinkie's teacup was refilled before speaking.

"Oh. Hmm. Interesting. You were supposed to come alone…this throws a wrench into the plans…" the last part seemed to be aimed at himself. "Hmm. I'll have to rethink my strategy…yes…"

"Hello? Did you forget about us?" Rainbow Dash flew in front of Sirmyurin's face and waved a hoof to get the alicorn's face.

Sirmyurin gave a little start, knocked out of his reverie. "I apologize. That was rather tactless of me." He turned his attention back to his guests. "Now, when Mauraxus offered negotiations, was he happy or more angry?"

"He was laughing." Veil recalled.

Sirmyurin pursed his lips and inhaled. "Oooh…that's not good."

"Why not?" asked Applejack.

"If he was laughing, then he most likely had permission from the superior to move in…in fact, I think he meant to use Grimm's shade to capture all your souls. That rascal."

"What's Grimm's shade?" Twilight asked, wishing she had a notebook to record all this information.

"Grimm's shade is what we call the being that attacked you in the forest. It is the vestige of something much, much more powerful. Often, Grimm's shades are sent out to capture loose souls for the Court. It would have succeeded, but I managed to stop it in time."

"_You _stopped it from killing me?" Veil said in disbelief.

"No, I stopped it from crushing your soul. Without proper moderation, that thing had gone completely berserk. Mauraxus had to impale it with his sword to stop it."

"Grimm's shades are relentless. They are designed by Grimm herself to do their jobs with precision and finesse." He polished off the pastry. "Figures we get a defective one."

"But back to negotiations. Mauraxus wants me to tell you his ultimatum. You have three choices, if you want your memory back. I don't even have to read his message; he's told me to do this over a dozen times already."

The more the ponies at the table listened, the more wary they became. What Sirmyurin was telling them was unlike anything they had ever heard of, and the way this _alicorn_ was casually spouting it out made them wonder what messed up world this thing had come from.

Sirmyurin cleared his throat, sat up straight, and began to recite, imitating Mauraxus's raspy voice shockingly well.

"_Ahem. Dear Veil, if you made it past Talonbite, good job. You're not as big a failure as the superior believes you to be. By coming alone, you have sealed your doom. By coming with company, you have also sealed your doom. Negotiations are as this: You have three choices. One: you choose to turn around and run away. Assuming you even get out of the manor, we'll just hunt you down and drag you back. I personally recommend this one, not only is it good exercise for you, it'll be great fun for us! Two, you can stay here and come back with us out of personal choice. This is the least messy one, so I also recommend you choose this choice. Three, as ordered by the superior, you can choose to have a little wager with us. We have currently set up a series of challenges for you to get through, and at the end is your memory. That's it, no strings attached, no messy surprises! Oh wait, I'm lying. There'll be a lot of messy surprises. Again, the superior wants you to take this choice, and it'll also be great fun, so I also recommend it! Choose wisely! Yours sincerely, Mauraxus."_

"Hmph. No sense of formality whatsoever." The white alicorn sniffed. "But there you have it, Veil. Three choices. I have no say in it, neither do your companions. You must decide alone." Sirmyurin sat back and levitated a cookie to his mouth.

"This is insane!" objected Rainbow Dash. "What right do you have to hold her memory hostage?"

"Insane, you say?" Sirmyurin's mouth opened in a wide grin, showing off the pointed teeth inside. "I'm so, so glad you finally recognize that. I was starting to wonder if I was the only one." He shook his head, the writhing black mane growing in size behind him, drinking in the light. "It's quite simple, really. I'm mad," he pointed both hooves at every other occupant of the table. "You're mad!" he pointed at himself. "We're all insane in here. Making a deal with the superior is one of the most insane things you could have chosen to do. We are but pawns on his chessboard, doing his bidding without even knowing it! Hahahaha!" Sirmyurin rolled out of his chair, flopping onto the floor and laughing till the tears came. "_And it's all so hysterical!"_

There was a moment of stunned inactivity while the tea party host rolled on the floor howling with mad, insane laughter.

"What's so funny? I wanna laugh too!" Pinkie Pie had bounded up to Sirmyurin's face and was touching noses with him.

"You'll find out soon enough. Have you made your choice yet, Veil?"

Veil stomped out of her seat. She looked angry. Angry and upset that Sirmyurin wasn't taking this seriously.

"I have. I want you to know that I'm not coming back with you, and I'm not running from you either." Veil's eyes burned with determination.

Sirmyurin sat up from his position on the tiled floor. "Oho, so you're going to go with choice three?" he said hopefully.

Veil's silence was all the confirmation they all needed.

"Oh, how wonderful!" the alicorn cheered. "So much darkness, so much doom! So much fear in every room!" He cackled before getting to his hooves, his face growing serious once more.

"If you really want to go in, take this. It's yours by right, and might be useful for those 'messy surprises'."

He handed Veil a book. Twilight recognized it as the lexicon. So that book was important! Veil looked so happy to have it back, slinging it over her shoulder and nestling it between her wings.

"Once you're ready, I'll let you go to the third floor. It'd be rude to keep the rest of them waiting, and courtesy is something we all strive for."

Veil faced her friends, the only friends she had in the world.

"Now's your last chance to turn back. I don't want to put you in danger, just to help me. I'm not going to be selfish. You can just leave."

"She's right." Sirmyurin confirmed. "Being neutral, you can just wish to leave whenever you like, and I'll make sure you end up in the lobby. That's fair, isn't it?"

"We're not leaving you, Veil. That'd be wrong." Rainbow Dash took a step forward.

"Course we're not goin'. I'd like to give these guys a taste of mah mind myself." Applejack joined the cyan pegasus.

"I, for one, will not stand idly by while such…ruffians are on the loose. Count me in, Veil." Rarity adjusted her mane and stepped forward.

"Um, I'd like to come and help, if that's okay."

"Yeah! I'm not missing out on _this _party!"

Pinkie and Fluttershy too? Veil was stunned.

Twilight cleared her throat. "Veil, before we set foot in this manor, I promised I'd go with you and get your memory back. That promise hasn't changed. I will go with you, and stick with you to the end." She vowed, joining her friends.

All seven ponies faced Sirmyurin defiantly, heads held high.

"Oh, this is going to be so much fun." The alicorn muttered to himself.

* * *

><p>Author's notes.<p>

Doom is coming. Prepare yourself.


	19. 17 Death and Talons

17 Death and Talons

EpicSmiley12-Alice in Wonderland reference? I don't remember putting one in, haha. But thanks for taking time to review this anyway. Your delivery of doom is here, by the way. Still go that guillotine?

* * *

><p>"Are you ready to go?" Sirmyurin asked. "Don't rush now, this is your last chance to stay."<p>

"We're ready to face whatever you throw at us, Sirmyurin. Don't try to intimidate us, it didn't work for Discord, it didn't work for Nightmare Moon, and it definitely won't work for you!" Rainbow Dash crossed her front hooves squarely and stared into the alicorn's yellow cat-pupiled eyes.

"I'm not trying to intimidate you." Sirmyurin said in a soothing tone. "I'm being honest with you. If you go in, you can't come back nearly as easily."

"It don't matter, cause we'll meet every one of yer 'messy surprises' and beat y'all, just you see."

"Oh, Applejack. Did you know that merely by stepping into the third floor, you are placing yourselves at the whims of the superior and his subordinates? You will be constantly under attack. I am honestly trying to prevent unnecessary bloodshed here; it's not good for our image. Not at all what we want to endorse."

"But if you're sure and ready, I will gladly open the way." Sirmyurin's abnormally sharp horn flashed with blue sparks, striking the table with an massive surge of magic, making his guests flinch with the magnitude and force.

The table's tablecloth and foodstuffs vanished, dissolving onto thin air with a nasty sizzling noise. The table itself began to rotate, runes carved into it that had been hidden under the withe cloth now flashing and pulsing with light. The table spun faster and faster, suddenly throwing itself against the far wall and slamming onto the smooth surface with a crystal like _clink. _Then the table itself disappeared, leaving a swirling blue-rimmed hole in the wall. Beyond was darkness and shadow.

"I present to you, the third floor of this manor. You may enter now." Sirmyurin bowed once again and swept a cracked hoof at the newly formed entrance.

The alicorn winced suddenly. It stood up again, its sparks diving from its mane to form a square shape in front of Sirmyurin's nose. Sounds came from the square, and the white alicorn sighed.

"I'm sorry." He said. "The superior has reminded me of something very important. I forgot to explain the rules, and what kind of things'll be thrown at you."

"Yeah, sure, 'forgot'." Scoffed Twilight.

"No, I really did, what with all the excitement and tea." He looked at Veil and her party with a reproachful expression on his pale face. None of them bought it. "Now, listen carefully, because I'm only saying this once, and it _might_ help you live a little longer if you pay attention."

"Ahem. When you first stepped into this manor, you encountered a little surprise. Did you perhaps see one of the superior's subordinates down there?"

"Subordinate! That thing almost killed us! Why, in all my years, I have never been so frightened. Just imagine what kind of dreams we'll be having."

Sirmyurin gave a wry grin to Rarity. "Oh, I wouldn't be too sure you'll want to sleep in here. That was Talonbite, one of the superior's better pieces. Throughout your entire…expedition, Talonbite will be following close behind, making sure you don't, say…slow down too much. If you do, well, his name might give you a clue as to what might happen." The white alicorn chuckled rather darkly at this.

" Second, obviously, is the delightful music box that Grimm's shade so kindly fixed for us. I'd be ever so happy if you didn't break it again, but I don't think you even can this time. We had it modified specially. It will cheer you on the more you advance. Isn't that nice, to have your own little theme tune?"

_No. _thought Twilight, knowing first-hoof what the music box actually did at close quarters.

"I can see that you don't agree. Oh, well." Sirmyurin doggedly kept talking, albeit with a bored look. "The main thing you need to know, however, is that we are not entirely merciless. Two reasons. One: it would give such a poor impression of the Grand Master's authority, and the Grand Master is nothing but a kind and benevolent being. Second: it would spoil the fun of watching you get closer to you goal. So, in light of these facts, after you complete a challenge, we will present to you a short vision of Veil's memory, just to spur you on a bit. And so you know you aren't being cheated. Nothing worse than being cheated in a fair game, as the superior so often says,"

"I really don't want to say any more, because we're wasting enough time as it is just standing here! I'll be seeing you very soon, my little ponies! I'm participating too, you know, so don't let me down!"

And with that, Sirmyurin spread his burnt wings and flew right into the portal to the third floor, leaving them all behind, but not before turning around and giving a cheery wave and a dazzling smile.

And the tea room was silent, save for the faint moaning of the wind through the portal.

* * *

><p>Veil looked at her friends. They were so precious to her, worth more to her than every artifact in this manor, worth more to her than she could ever express.<p>

Yet now, she was going to drag them into the equivalent of Tartarus with her. Veil felt disgusted at herself for even allowing them to come. She remembered things from before, the lexicon on her back suddenly weighing her down, whispering the past into her mind.

The black pegasus wheeled around.

"Are you sure you want to come? After hearing what Sirmyurin said, I…I'm worried about you. I can't bear losing _any _of you. Please, you've done so much for me already, I couldn't…" Veil broke off, unable to continue, touched by both the lexicon and her friends' kindness.

But what she did not tell them was the real reason why she did not want them nearby.

What concerned Veil the most was the part about being shown parts of the past as 'rewards'. What would Twilight and the others say if they knew about…_that? _What if they showed what she had done? They wouldn't be able to forgive her, not ever.

The lexicon felt heavier than ever.

When Veil looked back up, the space before her was empty. So they had left after all. Maybe they would be able to lead normal lives, forget about her. The thought of it made Veil want to cry, but if they were safe…

Someone cleared their throat at the far end of the room.

"Veil, are you coming? We're ready when you are!"

Veil looked up. Amazingly, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Applejack, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Twilight were already at the portal, waiting for her.

_How lucky I am to have such friends. _Veil thought happily as she joined the party. Together, they stood and faced the gate to the third floor. Whatever faced them, no matter what was thrown at them, with the magic of friendship, they would see it through to the end.

And yet…

_I hope they never find out._

* * *

><p><em><strong>Let the games begin. <strong>_

The creature with the grinning white teeth from the painting was a little more visible, a serpentine creature with a coal black reflective body that ended in a long tail, and had the shadows of huge wings protruding from just behind its forearms. It towered over Mauraxus, and before it was laid a massive checkered mat, with scores of differently shaped, sized, and colored pieces on it.

At the far end, seven small pony-shaped figurines, one lavender, one cyan, one white, one orange, one pink, one yellow, and one black stood on a square. The rest of the pieces on the board took up a variety of spaces, most of them gray or clear blue.

One of the superior's hands hovered over the colossal chessboard, thinking, while the other grasped Veil's memory orb. It swirled and eddied every color of the rainbow. The superior tossed it to Sirmyurin, who began examining it, deciding which memories to take out and display. Only the best would do, only Veil's most prominent moments could be shown to their guests.

All the better to break their minds with.

"_Indeed, my superior. When will Talonbite be allowed to advance?"_

The superior moved its hand to a small figurine of the monster that had chased the ponies from the first floor to the tea room. It moved its hand slightly, blue sparks cascading down onto the piece. It moved of its own accord, one space closer to the pony shaped pieces.

_**Let me put it this way, Mauraxus. The third floor is a logical impossibility, created solely for my amusement. If they do not advance at a rapid rate, this will be a very short, but visually boring game. But it will help finish our task quickly. So, I must decide, entertainment or efficiency? **_

_**I have decided entertainment. And soon, you will see how. **_

The superior, having made its move, leaned back. Sirmyurin extracted a small droplet of light from the memory orb with his horn and trotted off, ready to present the reward if their guests finished the first challenge.

'If' being the key word.

* * *

><p>Once Veil and her friends entered the portal, the first thing they all noticed was that there was a significant drop in temperature. If felt at least seven degrees colder, and the floor, still tile, was chilling and unforgivingly hard beneath their hooves.<p>

The rest of the room was rather plain. Plain white walls, a gold and crystal chandelier, and a square wooden table in the center. Behind them was an impossibly long corridor, stretching out as far as the eye could see. A single blank canvas, framed in what looked like white wood, hung from the far wall. The faint tinkle of the cursed music box could be heard, but so faintly that it had no effect.

_No effect just yet…_ thought Twilight as she and her friends examined the room.

The table commanded all the attention. As they approached, a faint roar came from down the eternal corridor behind them. Nothing was in the hallway, but there, again, was the same roar from the first floor.

Talonbite. Sirmyurin had mentioned that Talonbite would be close behind. In that case, he was failing at being close behind. They could see for at least a mile down the corridor, and the monster was nowhere to be seen. Maybe Sirmyurin had been lying to them.

Back to the table. It had a smooth lacquered finish, and had a black stone tablet on its surface. A message was carved on it, radiating calming blue light.

"_As you walk through the journey of life, you will encounter many delights and sorrows. The first challenge is this: "What is both the sweetest triumph of life, and the bitterest defeat?"_

_Answer, and proceed."_

"A riddle?" Pinkie laughed in relief. "By the way Sirmyurin was going on about it, I thought it'd be much worse!" She bounced on the spot, thinking about the riddle.

"Shh, Pinkie." Twilight examined the tablet. It was pretty plain, except for the glowing message.

* * *

><p>Veil had quietly padded over to a corner and pulled the lexicon off her back while the others were looking at the riddle. It had to be done now, while nopony was looking.<p>

Veil's hooves went behind the slightly foxed cover and opened the book she had so wanted to get back. If she could just fix a few pages…

There was a note attached to the inside cover.

_Did you really think we would leave ANY memory records in your lexicon? Silly Veil, if you're reading this, then you should really know better. All the memories that were recorded in here are locked away until you finish the challenges! Until then, it's just a really helpful encyclopedia._

_Keep it up,_

_Sirmyurin._

Veil screamed in frustration. Just a little scream, but a scream nonetheless.

Given the circumstances, Veil thought it was appropriate. Sirmyurin, it seemed, was bent of causing them as much trouble as he could.

That alicorn…

Sirmyurin.

Not an Equestrian name, but to Veil, as soon as he had introduced himself back in the tea room, she had felt something click in her mind. He talked about Veil as though he knew her like no other. He had certainly been the most polite, if a little unbalanced. And yet, he was thwarting their every attempt to get her memory back. And what exactly did Sirmyurin mean by 'participating'?

So many questions. So little answers.

"If only we had a clue…" Veil whispered wistfully, closing the book wither armored foreleg.

Suddenly, the lexicon burst open violently, startling all the ponies in the room with a loud _crack_ and an intense expulsion of blue sparks. The pages whirled in the book, slowing down gradually until they settled down on a page close to the middle. Except for a short sentence, they were blank.

"Veil has conquered both." Fluttershy read. "What does that mean?" she asked quizzically, her gentle eyes set in a thoughtful countenance.

"Maybe it's related to the riddle on the tablet?" Rarity suggested, jerking her purple-maned head at the table.

The party moved the lexicon over to the table, reading the riddle again.

"_As you walk through the journey of life, you will encounter many delights and sorrows. The first challenge is this: "What is both the sweetest triumph of life, and the bitterest defeat?"_

_Answer, and proceed."_

"You've conquered both? Veil, do you have any idea what this might mean?" Rainbow Dash asked. Veil shook her head.

"Well, the riddle seems to be referencing two things that are the same, but also different," Twilight pointed out. "So, is the answer one thing, or is it two? The word 'is' seems to hint at one, but the word 'both' hints at two…argh, why is this so confusing?"

There was a loud roar from the endless hallway. Disturbingly, it seemed to have come from much closer, but the corridor was still as empty as before. Twilight's horn glowed as she cast a Detect Life spell. It was all clear. Nothing living was within at least 500 meters down that hallway.

Letting the spell die down, Twilight returned her full attention to the puzzle. What exactly had Veil conquered? The unicorn started to put together a compilation of everything she knew about Veil. Her near-death experience, her mysterious involvement with these otherworldly creatures, her slow recovery from a nervous wreck to a friend who just wanted to be loved. Her loss of her identity and parents. How she was no longer the pony she once was…

One particular thing Veil had said came floating from the back of Twilight's mind.

"_Maybe…maybe the pony I was really did die back there with the manticores. What have I become…?"_

It was an interesting thing for Veil to say. In the book _Valor_, by Sir Quillpusher of Canterlot, it was mentioned that a pony's life was connected to their memoires, their experiences, and their Cutie Marks.

In another book she had once read in philosophy class, a poet had written that to lose one's identity was a 'true death', as had been said by a dying pony from ages long past. Twilight had never quite understood that quote, or why the teacher had been so impressed by it. But now, as the gears in her well-read brain began to turn, she began to fathom what the poet hand meant. Without an identity, a pony was just an empty shell, wandering the world…wandering the paths of life!

And suddenly she knew. Veil had, unwittingly, provided her with the answer. Perhaps it wasn't right, but it was the best thing she could think of.

"I think I've got it." She said, leaning over the tablet and speaking clearly.

"Is the answer 'death'?"

Another roar. Much, much closer.

But the hallway was still empty, save for a bit of shimmering that was no doubt being caused by the lower-than-usual temperature. Twilight cast her Detect Life spell again, just to be sure. It was still all clear. Perhaps the roaring was just meant to unsettle them, make it hard to think. Well, they were too late.

The tablet of black stone stopped glowing and began to shake, rattling atop the table and making a huge racket. A beam of clear blue light shot from the center of the tablet and connected to the blank canvas on the far wall. The canvas itself began to stretch, expanding from painting-sized to door-sized in seconds. Splashes of color spread across the newly expanded canvas, merging together seamlessly to form a picture of an open door, identical to the front door. With a final pulse of blue sparks, the center of the door hollowed itself out, revealing another room within.

Twilight and her friends whooped, everypony congratulating the lavender unicorn on her wit and knowledge. One by one, the party entered the painted door. Twilight, then Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rainbow, and Veil. Just as Rarity was about to step in, they heard it again.

The roar. Except now, it came from directly behind them.

Applejack and Rarity whipped their heads around, tensing themselves to run.

But there was nothing in the room. Nothing except for the table, the entrance to the hallway, and the chandelier. There was a slight cold haze coming from the nearest corner.

Rarity shrugged at Applejack, who grinned back at the fashionista. The white unicorn tossed her finely curled mane and stepped through the door.

And then Talonbite uncloaked from the corner and tackled Applejack to the floor, roaring as loudly as he could in her face, revealing rows upon rows of razor-bladed teeth.

Up close, the rest of them could tell that Talonbite was a reptilian being of some sort, but instead of green or brown, he was a dull, uniform gray, and had an unfeasible amount of spikes and sharp points all over his carriage sized body. There were numerous narrowed eyes on his arrow shaped head, and they all burned like tiny suns. A long tail covered with points waved in the air, making swishing sounds as it passed overhead.

Twilight and her friends rushed to the farmpony's aid, but found themselves blocked by and invisible barrier that had gone up over the door's threshold. They pounded their hooves and launched spells, but the shield stood firm. Applejack twisted left and right, using her strength to wriggle out just before a barbed gray tongue shot out of Talonbite's gaping maw and stabbed into the spot where her face had been a moment before.

The monster lost interest in Applejack for a moment and began to go for the door, only to be bucked in the tail by the orange mare.

"Hey! Ah'm over here, ya varmint!"

Incredibly, Applejack was drawing Talonbite's attention back to herself! It worked too. The gray monster's multiple eyes locked onto the orange mare and it growled, a vindictive, livid sound that set everypony's knees knocking.

Everypony's knees except Applejack's. Though her hooves were bleeding from cutting herself on Talonbite's tail when she had bucked him, Applejack stood firm, in a pose that her friends recognized as one she employed when she was about to take on a particularly dangerous rodeo.

She was going to try and fight Talonbite.

To her friends, Applejack said "Go on! I'll catch up to ya once Ah'm done dealing with this one here!"

"Applejack! You can't possibly-"

"Don't you tell me what Ah can and can't do! Now git outta here!"

"Applejack-"

"Now!"

The door began to shut on its own, as though waiting for this moment. The last they saw of Applejack was her galloping at Talonbite, who roared and lunged at her, front claws outstretched and sparks pouring from his mouth.

Then the door shut completely, and there was silence.

* * *

><p>Author's Notes<p>

Leave a review, or I'll have Talonbite get you next. If it's not too much trouble, that is.

Extra: Elder Scrolls V reference in this chapter! Find it and get a mention. And no, it's not the Detect Life spell.


	20. 18 Echoes of the Past Part 1

18 Echoes of the Past-Part 1

ChrnoKeeper-Thanks for the review. I'm happy you're enjoying this.

(Re-uploaded due to some slight errors)

* * *

><p>"Applejack! APPLEJACK!"<p>

Twilight, Fluttershy, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Pinkie Pie, and Veil hammered on the door with all their might, trying to break it open. However, although it had been canvas from the other side, on this side, the door was made of what felt like marble. It refused to even move an inch, sealing their friend on the other side with a murderous monster and no way out.

Veil unfolded her bracer blade and began slashing at the door, but to no avail. The blade, it seemed, could not penetrate even a millimeter into the door's surface.

After a while, they gave up. The door wasn't even scratched, and the effort was wearing them down. The tea party seemed like ages ago, and the six of them were beginning to feel a little thirsty.

"We need to get back there. Applejack needs our help!" Rainbow Dash backed away from the door, ready to fly full speed at the door. The impact shook the cyan pegasus to the core and made her head spin, but did nothing to help get through.

Veil felt awful. How could she have brought her friends in? What if Applejack didn't survive the fight with Talonbite? How would she be able to face anypony if that happened? Veil wouldn't be able to live with the guilt.

"Dear Princess Celestia," Veil prayed. "Please, _please _let Applejack be okay. I should have gone in her place. It should have been me." Veil wiped tears from her eyes and looked up, right into the grinning face of Sirmyurin. She jumped.

"Well, hello!" the alicorn said brightly. "You solved the first puzzle. Guess Mauraxus was right; it's time we raised the bar a little."

"Open this door now, and call off Talonbite!" Rainbow Dash demanded.

Sirmyurin put a cracked hoof to his chin and thought for moment. "Hmmm…no." she said, lowering the thoughtful hoof. "No, I don't think I will."

Fluttershy was suddenly in Sirmyurin's face. The yellow pegasus was glaring at the white alicorn, gazing into his heart, using The Stare. Nopony had _ever _been able to resist The Stare. It was one of the few things that even Twilight, with all her magic, could not stop.

Imagine their surprise when Sirmyurin chortled good-naturedly and gently pushed Fluttershy away!

Everypony, except Veil, who knew nothing of The Stare's power, was astonished.

"How did you resist?" Twilight gasped.

"Resist that mental attack? Well, it was a good try, to your credit, but you overlooked one little detail." Sirmyurin tossed a tiny, marble sized ball of light to himself as he explained. "Your attack depends on the victim having a heart, or some other kind of empathy. I have no such empathy, nor was I permitted to keep my heart. I'm here following the directions of the superior, nothing more. I am not acting on my own impulses or desires, thus I have nothing you can affect. Try something else next time, eh?"

"But I digress." He continued. "I'm here to give you your reward!"

"Reward?" Veil asked warily.

"Of course! Here you go, enjoy!" Sirmyurin floated the tiny drop of light to Veil, who took it with her right foreleg and stared at it, not knowing what to do with it.

"Crush it with your hoof, and let the powder fly over you. When you're done, proceed to the next challenge." Sirmyurin cantered away into the darkness, humming merrily.

Veil put the drop on the floor and raised her hoof to stomp on it. She hesitated.

What if the memory it showed was embarrassing or worse? She looked at her friends, who had given up trying to break the door down and were watching her expectantly.

Nothing for it then. Veil's armored hoof came down and crunched the drop of light like a hammer crushing a gumball.

Everything turned white, which gradually died down to show them all a vision, a memory…

* * *

><p>"<em>Why is this necessary?" Veil asked. She was walking down a cobbled street, Sirmyurin the alicorn lookalike next to her. Veil's eyes, unlike the present were not yellow but instead were an icy blue. Every other part of her seemed strangely unfocused.<em>

"_It's simply part of your initiation. Every potential operative has to be given an examination at the Training Hall. I'm just accompanying you."_

_The pair walked in silence for a while. _

"_Did you ever take this examination, Sirmyurin?" Veil asked. _

"_I did."_

"_And they gave you your job based on the results?"_

"_No. They merely recommend what kind of training you might be more suited to undergo, but whatever you choose to do is entirely up to you. I chose my job because I liked it. Lots of fun, and I get to see a great deal more new places." _

_The two being stopped in front of the Training Hall. It was a tall rectangular building, made of white stone and engraved all over with complex scrollwork and runes. There did not seem to be a door. Rather, Sirmyurin walked right up to the nearest wall kept going, the wall parting to allow him entrance. Veil hesitated. Sirmyurin poked his head back out._

"_Come on, I have to keep the wall open. It won't let you in yet because it doesn't recognize you, and you're not an operative yet. It's just like passing through a door, but it checks you for anything like dangerous enchantments and disarms them. You haven't got any dangerous enchantments, have you?"_

_Veil shook her head and followed, the wall consuming them both._

* * *

><p><em>Inside, it was completely different from what Veil had expected. It was all dark, and she was drifting in the darkness, all semblance of gravity gone. Veil panicked, flapping her wings and flying off in a completely random direction, breathing fast as she tried to locate the exit. She cried out, hoping somebody, anybody would hear her. <em>

"_Oh, do try to relax. I can hardly examine you when you're flailing around." A curt voice had come from just behind Veil. She turned her head with great difficulty, but saw nothing. Then she notices a two pairs of red eyes floating above her, and a single pair of cracked and weathered metal hands that were levitating at her sides. Veil shrieked and tried to fly away. Whatever it was easily kept up, circling the hands around her. They glowed as they orbited around Veil's fleeing form, casting rays of calm blue light that traced over the pony's body, taking in every detail. _

"_Yes…very good body structure, meant for physical rather than mental or arcane…elementally unbalanced…no magic to speak of…still, a very good find indeed." _

"_Overall, your body is in good condition. It should be; if it wasn't I would be very concerned over the healing spells the infirmary uses. But just for your body to be in good condition means very little if your mind isn't right. So, I will test your mind."_

_Suddenly, a ghostly figure materialized in the darkness, charging at the pair with a long spear. _

_Veil tried to step out of the way, but she wasn't quite fast enough. The spear rammed home, right in her chest._

_Or it would have, had not a pair of metal hands shot from the gloom and snatched the spear shaft, breaking it. Splinters and wood shards flew everywhere, the attacker vanishing in a puff of sparks._

_Veil was breathing heavily. "What was that?" she asked once she had gotten calmed down enough._

_The red eyes in the darkness seemed to narrow. "It was a figment of your imagination, bought to reality by me. Now, try again, and this time, fight back!"_

_The figure appeared once again, charging at them with that spear again. _

_Again, Veil tried to dodge out of the way, but the figment was faster, swiping at her with the spear. Again, her trainer had to intercede and shatter the figment's weapon. _

"_Again."_

* * *

><p>"…<em>Can't…we…stop?" Veil panted. She had almost been run through eight times by now, to the annoyance of her trainer. The metal hands floated above her head, rubbing against each other like they were washing up.<em>

"_Perhaps this is the wrong approach," Veil's trainer muttered. "Maybe…why not?"_

"_Huh?' Veil said questioningly, but before she could get an answer, her attacker charged with her for the ninth time that day (or was it night already?). Except this time, it was different. Instead of rushing footfalls, there came the roar of a manticore._

_Veil exploded into motion, her wings thrusting her up into the gloom and down again, bringing her hood smashing heavily on the spear, driving the butt of it up into her attacker's head, shattering it into little pieces. She landed with a slam, panting and glaring at her shadowy foe, challenging it to rise up and fight. _

_Her trainer clapped slowly, the light level rising slowly, revealing not a manticore, but a member or the Canterlot Elite Guard! _

_Veil was shocked beyond words. _

"_I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to-Oh, Celestia, what have I done?"_

_Her trainer was unrepentant. 'He tried to do you in. If you hadn't defended yourself, you would be the one without a head now. What you did was entirely justified, and you shouldn't feel bad for it."_

_Veil was not mollified by this in the slightest. "I can't _kill_ others, it's wrong!"_

_The trainer's eyes glowed brighter and brighter as it spoke. "I wasn't killing, it was self-defense. Now, try again. It's not real anyway, so why all the emotion?" _

_Once more, the shadowy guard disappeared and charged at Veil, spear outstretched. Veil, with one last vengeful look at her trainer, did an aerial loop and kicked her attacker in the side, a little harder than she meant to. She felt ribs crumple and give way beneath her hooves. As she pulled back, Veil was struck by shame, just like the first time._

_Or rather, she tried to be, but something inside her heart refused to budge. Something that had once issued sympathy now was merely giving her a good feeling, a feeling of satisfaction. Staring at the guard with nothing but a sparking stump on its neck would have filled her with horror and regret, but she felt nothing but approval for her deed._

"_Well done," praised Veil's trainer. "Your mind, it seems, is still capable of winning over your heart." _

_Veil nodded, not trusting herself to speak just yet._

_Her trainer banished the figment._

"_Again, but this time, I'll let you see the full figure instead of hiding it."_

_Veil settled into a combative stance, ready to meet that guard when he charged again._

_When he did, Veil smiled before dispatching the guard once more. Again, no regrets, only the euphoric feeling of satisfaction. It felt kind of…nice._

_Her trainer clapped again, prepared to re-summon the apparition._

"_Again." _

_But this time, both of them had spoken. At Veil's request, at the trainer's command, the figment was summoned again to be destroyed. _

_Again and again and again._

* * *

><p><em>Later, Veil met with Sirmyurin outside the Training Hall, eager to talk about that day's events, and how she had learned to defend herself.<em>

_As the alicorn listened to Veil's story, he smiled. He smiled because he knew something she did not._

_By repeatedly destroying a figment of her own mind, she was slowly loosening her morals and her mental limits. It was a common enough tactic, and worked every time._

_He would make an operative of her yet._

* * *

><p>Author's Notes.<p>

Well, we've lost Applejack, and so early too.

Veil's past is slowly revealed, and it's not very nice.

Leave a review if you like it, and if you don't like it, leave one anyway!


	21. 19 Secrets and Lies

19 Secrets and Lies

EpicSmiley12-Thanks for reading this! And yes, there will be more doom. But first, a short bit of history.

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><p>"<em>You handled that very well, Sirmyurin." <em>Mauraxus was coiled up next a huge glowing blue square on the wall. The square was currently showing the ponies standing enraptured by the vision that the memory droplet was giving them. Sirmyurin himself was sitting nearby, drinking daintily from a cup of tea, black mane writhing around his face.

"Why thank you, Mauraxus. I try. But we really should be focusing on the next room. What delightful things could we have them do? What delightful things could we do to them?"

"_We should ask the superior before doing anything."_

"True, true. But hasn't the superior allowed you to spearhead the first few phases?" Sirmyurin pointed out.

"_Well, yes. To a certain degree." The dracolich rose off the floor and opened a yellow portal. "But Talonbite won't respond to us. The superior owns his soul, so we'll need to use other means, and hope that Talonbite is smart enough to pace himself."_

"If I may, can I give a suggestion…" Sirmyurin whispered into Mauraxus's skull. The bone dragon nodded in agreement.

"_An excellent idea. Let's do it." The pair sauntered into the portal. "How do you come up with these ideas?"_

"Practice, Mauraxus. Practice and a whole lot of looking into the minds of others."

"_Ah."_

* * *

><p>As the blinding white light of Veil's memory shard faded away, Veil sank to the floor. This was all too much to take in at once. She felt like she'd been punch in the gut. Had she really done, felt like that?<p>

"I…I…don't…no…"

The rest of them had no idea how to respond. Obviously, Veil had been involved in some kind of shady business before coming to Equestria. They had known that already.

But this…this was unbelievable.

The question was, did Veil do that of her own free will, or had Sirmyurin done something to her? Or was it that creature in the darkness that had been training her?

Just who _were_ the beings they were dealing with here? Sirmyurin had admitted to not being from Equestria, but if so…were there other worlds with ponies, or…no. Sirmyurin had told them that he only looked like that to prevent breaking their minds, which gave rise to an even more disturbing possibility.

Sirmyurin and his superior, whoever that might be, was just _playing_ with them. Sirmyurin's attitude had been…flippant, but Twilight had just assumed it was trying to act confident, just like Nightmare Moon and Discord. But was it possible that the black maned alicorn was something…more? And what about Mauraxus? Dragons existed, that was easy, but she had never even heard of an undead dragon.

They needed answers from an honest source, both on Veil's past and on their current situation, before she could come to conclusions about the 'memory' they had seen.

"Please, you have to believe me," Veil was begging Rarity. "I don't know, I don't remember _any _of that! Please, please don't leave me!"

She pulled the lexicon off her back, glaring at it, rage flitting across her black-furred face.

"This is all your fault!" Veil shouted, hurling the lexicon away. It hit an invisible wall and fell back down, not two feet away.

The mood swings, it seemed, were back.

"Hush dear. We won't leave you." The white unicorn gave a nervous laugh. "For all we know, that could have just been some ghastly lie that Sirmyurin wanted us to believe. You're far too nice to just start hurting others."

"Yeah, we won't fall for that lying liar pants' lies!"

Veil sniffled. "Thanks Pinkie. Thanks Rarity. Ahh!"

They jumped at the sudden gasp of pain. Her leg was bleeding, barely visible in the gloom. Veil glumly held her other hoof over the wound, trying to staunch the bleeding.

"Don't you worry. I came prepared for this, Veil, and I don't believe you would do anything like what Sirmyurin showed us." Fluttershy said as she dressed and bound Veil's foreleg.

Twilight came over with Veil's lexicon on her mouth, being unable to levitate it. Veil blanched when she saw it.

"Veil, back in the white room, this book gave us a clue as to what to say. Maybe it has other useful information?"

"Like what?" Veil looked reluctantly at the book. She could swear it was emitting an evil aura, but there was no denying the fact that it _had _been helpful in solving the riddle.

"All right, Twilight. I'll give it a try. Not like we've got any other options."

Veil placed her armored foreleg on the cover. Nothing happened.

"Maybe we need to ask it a question." Rainbow suggested.

"I've got one," Twilight said. "Ask it what the next challenge is, so we can beat it easily."

"Okay." Veil cleared her throat. "What is the next challenge?"

The book exploded open, shedding sparks over the ponies and making their skin itch. Again, the pages whirled and flapped before settling down on a page near the front. There, printed neatly, were the words:

_Proper Authorization Required to Access Future Events. _

"What? Proper authorization?" Rainbow Dash picked up the book and shook it. "What's that supposed to mean? I want to find out about what we're dealing with, Celestia darn it!"

The book, as if in response, shuddered in the cyan pegasus's grip and turned two pages back. There, inked on the page on the right, was a masterfully drawn color picture of a dragon's skeleton and that menacing floating sword. The dragon's left paw held what looked like a glowing orb. It was being crushed in the bone dragon's grip.

The opposite page read:

_Mauraxus_

_Race-Dracolich _

_Rank-Gigas, Outer Realms Operative_

_One of the only Dracoliches in the current employ of the Grand Master, Mauraxus was taken in after almost being destroyed by a warrior on the world ******, after a fierce and heated battle. _The name of the world was blurred out. _Fueled by rage, hatred, and an overwhelming desire for revenge, the black dragon did not stay dead, rather, converted his flesh and scales into magical force and was resurrected as a dracolich. After striking a deal with one of the Grand Master's senior operatives, Mauraxus traveled back in time and brutally annihilated not only the warrior, but the warrior's entire village, eventually convincing a Court member to burn the entire continent with augmented dragonfire and capturing all their souls. _

_The sword was looted off his adversary's corpse, and enhanced by many centuries of enchantments and souls, binding itself to Mauraxus. The weapon, now known to the general public as Soulshatter, holds the captured souls of over one hundred thousand beings, making it a very good source of energy. Soulshatter is also capable of fighting on its own, and will aid its owner through any means possible, whether by changing its appearance or by casting spells. _

_Mauraxus's role in the current time is to aid his superior on a retrieval mission. Due to the resistant and stubborn nature of the quarry, Mauraxus has lured the target to the superior's manor, where the target will face a series of challenges. _

_Mauraxus plans to use the target's-_

The entry continued onto the next page, but the page refused to turn, no matter what they shouted at it.

"Fine. What is Sirmyurin?" huffed Rarity after ten minutes of trying to turn the page. The lexicon's pages turned three pages back, revealing a picture of the alicorn holding up a teacup. He was smiling that infuriating smile of his. The opposite page held a short message, scrawled in black ink.

_Complete another challenge for more information._

_Cheers, Sirmyurin._

* * *

><p>Author's notes<p>

Lexicon being a troll… :L

Leave a review. Do it. You know you want to.


	22. 20 Impossibility

20 Impossibility

* * *

><p>Yay! 20 chapter milestone! (The prologue and chapter 12 don't count for me) But hooray anyway!<p>

Thank you everypony for reading this and motivating me to get this far!

(Re-uploaded due to the site cutting out some words that I had to fill in.)

* * *

><p>Sirmyurin was less than pleased.<p>

"I can _not_ believe they think I'm lying to them! _Lying_! Do I look like the lying sort to you?" he said indignantly, directing his last question at Mauraxus, who was munching an éclair of some sort, the food melting into blue sparks after it was 'swallowed'.

"_Lying's part of our job, Sirmyurin. Don't get so worked up over it._" The dracolich picked up another dessert, looked at it for a while, then toasted it with a short burst of indigo flame before eating it.

"I know, I know, but still…that was the truth. I _did _take Veil to the Training Hall. It's all true."

"_Forget it." _Mauraxus settled his skull on the floor and let the light in his skull dim a little. _"We need to focus on the next part. I have an excellent idea of what to do next."_

"Oh? Do tell."

"_Certainly. After__ the superior approves, of course."_

"Wouldn't want it any other way. Can I try an éclair? They look rather scrumptious."

* * *

><p>Driven by Sirmyurin's taunting message in the lexicon, Veil slammed the book shut and replaced in on her back, fire burning in her eyes. Twilight noted, with some unease, that the light in her friend's eyes was uncannily similar to the light that illuminated Talonbite's eyes.<p>

_I need to know more. This whole thing is more mysterious than a Sherclop Pones book, and Veil is at the center of it. I need to speak with her alone…" _Twilight thought, running hoof through her mane.

The party reluctantly got up and slowly walked away from the door, thinking of Applejack and what her chances were of surviving against Talonbite's assault. They weren't high.

"Oh, Applejack…" Pinkie murmured, her mane and tail drooping a little.

But there was nothing they could do. The door itself was stuck so fast that it might as well be part of the wall, and, even if the door would open, could they really take on Talonbite by themselves? Veil might be able to, but they'd get hurt pretty bad before they managed to take that gray fiend down.

"We'll be back, Applejack." Rainbow Dash said. "Cross my heart and hope to fly, stick a cupcake in my eye." She went through the motions, and once she was done, the cyan pegasus flew unenthusiastically away from the door.

The rest of them followed suit, not wanting to speak for fear of breaking down into tears.

* * *

><p>It wasn't long before the space around the six ponies started to brighten up. Vague shapes began to loom at them out from the sides, seemingly coming closer as it got brighter.<p>

There was a _crunch_. Rarity, who had been at the front, had trodden on something. She looked down.

And screamed.

Rarity's white hoof had landed on a skull of some sort, crushing it under her weight. The fashionista jumped back abruptly, bumping into her friends as they rushed forward to see what was wrong.

The light level rose dramatically, abruptly bringing the shapes around them into view. The light had no particular source and was an icy blue color, but that was the least of their worries.

On both sides were rows upon rows of gray stone statues, each mounted on a large circular base, also made of stone. All sorts of statues, of creatures they had seen, like dragons and lions and tigers, but dozens of others that they had no idea of what they might be. Here was a six-legged insect of some kind, with bulbous eyes that seemed to follow them. On the left, a wyvern with metal armor carved onto its body. They were so diverse, but it soon became clear that they shared one similar trait.

Each and every statue wore and expression of great and painful torment, their gray stone faces distorted in soundless screams.

"W-w-what do you think they're f-f-for?" stammered Fluttershy as they walked quickly between the statues, which watched them silently, standing sentinel. Fluttershy's breath fogged in front of her as she spoke. It had gotten colder. The floor now felt like ice beneath the ponies' hooves, and they began to shiver slightly.

Twilight cast a spell to warm the air before answering Fluttershy's question.

"I don't know, Fluttershy, but whoever carved them must be pretty messed up. They can do so much detail, but all of it is put into making the face look as tortured as possible. Whoever this 'superior' is that Sirmyurin keeps mentioning…I'm not sure I want to meet it."

Fluttershy nodded. "I'm scared, Twilight." She whispered, her breath billowing out in front of her.

"So am I, Fluttershy. So am I."

The party came to a door that looked like it was made of metal, gleaming in the blue uncanny light. There was an indentation in the center, shaped just like the claw on Veil's bracer. The ebony pegasus stepped up and, shivering with something more than just cold, put her right foreleg to the door.

The sheet of metal disintegrated into blue sparks, allowing them through.

Behind them, there was a faint, almost inaudible roar.

* * *

><p>None of the ponies were surprised to see Sirmyurin waiting for them behind the door, munching on what smelled like a cinnamon éclair and drinking from a mug of hot chocolate, black-tipped wings folded snugly at his sides. A white scarf was draped over the alicorn's neck, covering up a bit of his spasming mane. His yellow cat eyes widened as he saw Veil and her friends approach.<p>

"Ah good, you're here! I knew you wouldn't give up. But it seems one of your so-called 'friends' has deserted you." Sirmyurin's face arranged itself into a mockery of a sad expression. "How sad." He said, taking another bite of éclair. "She won't be the last one though. You can't rely on friends," he said pleasantly, wiping his mouth with a lace napkin pulled from nowhere.

Twilight, enraged at this jab at their friendship, felt like running up and bucking that smug alicorn right in the face, but found herself too cold to do anything but stand still and fume. Sirmyurin noticed this.

"Oh dear. I think we may have made it a _tiny_ bit too cool in here." The alicorn set the mug and éclair down on a random floating plate and shouted up at the ceiling. "Mauraxus, it's getting too cool here for our guests! Can you bring the temperature up a bit please?"

There was no perceptible response, but soon, the temperature in the room did rise a degree or two, just enough for the ponies to feel a little better and stop shivering.

Speaking of the room…

It was far too big to have fit inside the manor, let alone a single that was hardly the most remarkable thing about it. They themselves were standing on a narrow walkway, both sides dropping off into a deep abyss. A couple of meters off, the walkway splintered into three separate paths. The paths looped and dipped everywhere, joined by impossible staircases and twisted balconies, landings, walls, and other bizarre bits of architecture. The whole thing was impossible, but yet here it was, right in front of their eyes. The whole thing was made of what looked like polished black marble, illuminated by the occasional blue spark that darted in and out of the stonework. It looked like something Discord might make in his spare time.

There was also what looked like pools of water dripping off the entire beastly creation, the clear liquid running down and up staircases, defying gravity, falling up and falling down, in and out of ornately carved fountains. What purpose these waterworks had, Twilight could not fathom. At the very, _very_ top of the monstrosity of black marble was a glowing door, barely visible, it was so high up.

"Welcome to the main event!" Sirmyurin said. "After you so effortlessly solved the first puzzle, Mauraxus thought that we should make it a little more…well…challenging! So we came up with this!" the alicorn picked up his éclair and hot chocolate and took a sip. "The door up there, can you see it? The door can only be unlocked once you've found the key. Easy, right?"

"Well, the superior has kindly allowed us to place _all_ kinds of fun things for you to solve and bypass on the way to find the key. It won't be so easy after all!" Sirmyurin finished his éclair, dabbing his sharp-toothed mouth with a napkin that he held in his mane.

"But don't you worry. With the exception of Veil, all of you delightful ponies can, as I mentioned back at the tea party, just wish to be out, and I'll make sure you end up back in the tea room. I'm sure you can find the way out from there. But you, Veil, must either continue or surrender. You've become too involved for us just to let you go."

"Well, time's a-wasting! I'll see you later then. Ta-ta!" Sirmyurin spread his wings, drained his mug of hot chocolate, and began to fly away.

"_Wait!" _

Sirmyurin paused and turned around, looking a little annoyed. "Yes? What is it?"

Twilight stepped forward. "What do you have against friends?" she asked boldly.

The alicorn closed his eyes for a moment, displaying the black markings around them even better. When he opened them again, the mischievous sparkle that was usually in them was gone. He stayed airborne, but descended a few feet.

"What makes you think I have something against friends." he replied. It wasn't a question, just a statement.

"Well," said the lavender pony. "You mentioned that we couldn't rely on friends, and that Applejack abandoned us when she clearly didn't. If you're trying to break us up, it won't work. Discord tried that already, and he's stone now."

"But I don't think that's your goal. There's something more to this for you, isn't there, Sirmyurin? Something you stand to gain, maybe? Why don't you drop the whole 'smug alicorn' act and just tell us what you want?"

"There is nothing you can say to me that will change my mind." The alicorn said frostily. "I have told you the terms: finish the challenges and get what you came for, or surrender and let us have Veil. One or the other. Now go. I'm done talking to you for now."

The alicorn flapped harder, flying towards a yellow portal that appeared all of a sudden. Twilight wasn't going to give up so easily.

"Does this have something to do with Veil? _Answer me_!" she yelled after Sirmyurin's retreating form. The alicorn's wings seemed to miss a beat, but he kept flying and was immediately gone, the portal closing behind him.

Twilight exhaled. It came out as fog; the temperature had dropped once more.

"I think I'm on to something…" she said to herself. To her friends, she said "Alright, we've come too far to just give up. Let's go find this key!"

"Yeah!"

* * *

><p>Sirmyurin landed back in the superior's chamber, sparks flying off his snowy white body. He roared with rage, blasting the wall with a beam of blue energy from his horn. Breathing heavily, the alicorn flopped down onto a nearby cushion and chewed on a sandwich, fuming. His mane formed itself into a hand which pulled the scarf from his neck and hung it on a nearby peg.<p>

Mauraxus paced over. _"What happened? Did the target unlock her true potential so early?" _

"No." Sirmyurin answered. He finished the sandwich and laid his head down, taking deep breaths. "The target…her companions are most…astute in their deductions. They caught me by surprise, that's all."

"_Ha. If they managed to sneak attack you, they must be mighty foes indeed. I shall send word to awaken the Hall of Minera immediately." _

"No. There is no need to awaken them just yet. Just…wait. We shall see where our original plan leads." Sirmyurin looked at the bone dragon. "You never did tell me your ambition for coming on this retrieval mission."

Mauraxus didn't move a single bone. _"That, I think, I shall keep to myself."_

* * *

><p><em>Author's Notes<em>

_Well, it seems Sirmyurin has a little more interest in this whole affair than free food and tea. _

_I'm going to thank you for leaving a review in advance, because I know you'll leave one._


	23. 21 Rifts

21 Rifts

* * *

><p>"You wanted to see me, superior?"<p>

_**Yes. I have noticed, Sirmyurin, that your standard of performance is dropping. That is most …unfortunate. **_

It was interesting how menacing the word 'unfortunate' became when the superior used it. Sirmyurin looked his superior in the eyes and replied "It's nothing to be concerned over. I'm just not used to being away from M-I mean the Grand Master's realm for so long. That's all."

_**If you have become so absent-minded that you cannot even remember the rule of secrecy properly, then your condition is indeed of my concern. Perhaps you should take some time off and relax, and let Mauraxus handle the next phase. Your devotion to this mission is admirable, but overworking yourself would be counter-productive. **_

"I understand, but I am still ready to help this mission to its next stage. Mauraxus and I have a plan which will guarantee success."

_**Never say that. Guaranteeing something is almost as bad a dooming it to failure. If you feel that your scheme will succeed, by all means, go ahead and implement it. But if you feel the need to withdraw and recuperate, you should do so. Do I make myself clear?**_

"Clear as the Central Square fountain on reversion day."

_**Let us hope so. I shall delay Talonbite, as was discussed earlier. It will resume its approach once you are finished.**_

"Thank you, my superior."

As the white alicorn left the room, plotting of how to do the next part of the plan properly, the superior sent a burst of blue sparks toward a cluster of gray stone figurines. They trembled slightly and began to move toward the center of the chessboard. Toward the pony shaped figurines. The orange one was missing.

_**One down…six to go.**_

* * *

><p>Veil, Fluttershy and Rainbow Dash had flown up to the door and taken a good look at it.<p>

"It's a pretty big door, Twilight. It's made of wood, and there's a small keyhole under the door knocker. It's got runes carved all around it, and the floor's all wet." Rainbow reported back, throwing a salute worthy of the Canterlot Royal Guard.

"It's got a blue glow," added Fluttershy.

"And it couldn't be scratched by anything we threw at it, my bracer included." finished Veil.

All three pegasi were panting slightly. The door had been a lot further away than it looked. Rainbow Dash had suggested drinking from the pools of water that they had passed on the way up, but Veil had strongly opposed, insisting that it was probably a trap. Rainbow had reluctantly agreed, but the thirst from not drinking anything for hours was making her cranky. Thirsty and chilled to the bone didn't go well with each other. Heck, just one of them was terrible. And there was so much water dripping everywhere…sloshing out of fountains…falling up onto the underside of the staircases above…it really made a pony want a drink.

Twilight had been examining the stonework with Pinkie and Rarity while the other three had been out doing recon, as Shining Armor would have called it. The black marble was absolutely flawless, and melded into stairs and fountains seamlessly. Almost as if the entire structure was carved out of one huge chunk of stone. But that wasn't possible, was it?

What bothered Twilight even more was Sirmyurin's reaction to her question. She replayed the exchange in her head.

"_What do you have against friends?"_

"_What makes you think I have something against friends." _

"_Why don't you drop the whole 'smug alicorn' act and just tell us what you want?"_

"_There is nothing you can say to me that will change my mind. I'm done talking to you for now"_

"_Does this have something to do with Veil? Answer me!"_

The alicorn had definitely seemed…different. Like she had touched upon a sore subject that he didn't want to talk or think about. Whereas Sirmyurin had always been cheerful and approachable, (if not a touch insane), in that moment, the entire façade had been shattered. Twilight had seen the anger in his eyes, the hardness of his mouth. And frankly, it scared her. It scared her to think what sort of things Sirmyurin had done in the past that might trigger such a response.

She knew that Sirmyurin and Veil had known each other during those three years of Veil's disappearance. The memory shard had shown her that, but at the time, Twilight had brushed it off as a lie, something made up to make them doubt Veil's character. Now, she wasn't so sure.

With no immediate answers, Twilight stored this enigmatic puzzle in the back of her mind and returned her attention to her friends.

"Let's go, girls. We can't give up now."

"That's right, we can't stop here." Agreed Rarity. "We must press on."

"Yeah! We're getting close! My Pinkie Sense confirms that!" said Pinkie with a few odd twitches and a spin of her curly pink tail.

"Right," breathed Veil.

Inside, the black pegasus was wondering about Sirmyurin's response too. Something was pulling at her mind, slipping away when she tried to reach for it. So excruciatingly close, yet so far away.

The white alicorn was a piece of the puzzle. They had to meet again.

* * *

><p>It wasn't long before the party came to the point where the path split into three. The route on the right went steeply downwards, into the dark. The middle path led straight for about fifteen paces, then slanted to the right sharply, twisting out of sight. The path on the left led directly up, leading to a platform with a fountain on it.<p>

All of them were thinking it, but nopony wanted to say it.

They were going to have to split up.

"Okay." began Rainbow Dash. "We've been through something like this before. Discord tried to split us up and turn us against one another. This time is no different. But, _this_ time, we'll go off in teams of two. We can watch each other's backs, and provide support. Remember, we're the Elements of Harmony. A few mind tricks won't stop us!"

"So, Fluttershy! You and Pinkie head to the right. Veil, you and Twilight go straight. Me and Rarity will go left."

There was a _click_ from behind them. The ponies turned around to look, but there was only a slight haze in the air, probably caused by the cold. Twilight cast her Detect Life spell.

Nothing.

Without another word, the six ponies set off down their respective paths, eager to put as much distance between themselves and that cold haze.

Once they were gone, the patch of haze rippled, briefly exposing a cluster of fiery orange eyes.

* * *

><p>The right path sloped rather steeply requiring concentration and skill to descend without slipping off. It was a dangerous way down; there were no railings to speak of. One wrong step and it was a one way trip into the dark void beneath. Luckily, Pinkie Pie had an unnatural aptitude for climbing treacherous inclines, and Fluttershy merely flew alongside her.<p>

They followed the black marble passage for a while, the sound of Pinkie's hooves hitting the stone the only sound they heard. The darkness was stifling, almost pressing in on them, like it was trying to grab hold of them. Every now and then, a glowing orb of light would fly near them always staying out of reach, vanishing as quickly as it had come. Eventually, they got used to it. Since the orbs weren't trying to hurt them, they could be ignored.

They continued in this manner for a long time. The passage sloped down and down and down, occasionally going up for a moment, then deviating back down again. Fluttershy looked up, brushing soft pink mane out of her eyes to get a better look. No sign of the others.

"Woah," exclaimed Pinkie. "It's getting so cold here that the water's starting to ice over. Check it out!"

Indeed, the temperature had been dropping steadily the more the pair had headed down. They paused to look at a fountain that was shaped like a dragon's head; the stream of water that was coming out freezing as it hit the floor, causing the marble ahead to be extremely slick and slippery. It didn't help that the path, at this point, tilted to the side at a forty-five degree angle.

"Hmm. This is gonna be hard to cross." Pinkie put an experimental hoof on the iced marble. It slipped off the frictionless surface.

Fluttershy hovered over, surveying the distance. "You know, I think I could carry you across," she suggested. "It's not that far."

She hooked her hooves around Pinkie Pie's body, lifting them both off the ground and over the ice patch.

Halfway across, a glowing orb darted in front of Fluttershy's face, making her squeak in surprise. The ball of light flew around the pair twice, then dived right down. The orb sank into the patch of ice.

The ice lit up for a second before dying back down to its usual shiny blackness.

Fluttershy was getting tired not just from carrying Pinkie, but also from everything else that had happened. The yellow pegasus, unlike Rainbow Dash, wasn't really used to flying with heavy weights. She flapped as hard as she could, trying to get to the end of the ice patch before her wings gave out.

Suddenly, something leapt out of the ice with a screech. Something nine feet tall with enormous jagged teeth and harsh blue lights where its eyes should have been. Fluttershy and Pinkie screamed in terror.

The ice. The ice had come to life, shaping itself into a horrendous apparition. Arms covered in sharp, foot-long icicles. Hands that ended in claws as long as Princess Celestia herself. A clear torso that connected to the marble beneath. And those teeth. Those horrible, horrible teeth, icy fog pouring out between them.

There was no time to react. The glowing lights that were the creature's eyes locked onto the two airborne ponies, and it opened it maw, breathing a freezing stream of air at them both. Fluttershy's wings frosted over, locking in place.

With a final, terrifying scream, the two ponies tumbled down into the abyss.

The icy phantom looked down, and once satisfied that there was nothing coming up, melted back into the floor, releasing a single glowing orb.

* * *

><p>Author's Notes.<p>

Do you really need me to explain?

Leave a review, or you know what'll be waiting the next time you open your freezer...


	24. 22 Whispers in the Dark

22 Whispers in the Dark

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><p>Notes: Wow. I didn't expect to get so many reviews for just one chapter. ChrnoKeeper, EpicSmiley12, Dylan Boggs, and the two anonymous readers, you guys made my day. And to those of you who read but did not review, expect to be attacked by demonic ice cubes sometime in th near future.<p>

* * *

><p>"<em>Finally. It all begins to fall together. I do love it when a plan works out." <em>

Mauraxus and Sirmyurin were watching their superior's chessboard, keeping a respectful distance from the grinning obsidian being. They nodded with satisfaction when the pink and yellow pony figurines split off from the main group and moved next to a square that held a clear blue figure.

Sirmyurin had wanted to stay and see what happened next, but it was time to head out and implement the next part of the plan. The alicorn sighed, but followed the dracolich through a yellow portal anyway.

On the way, Mauraxus became more and more animated. The green light inside his skeleton glowed brighter, casting deep shadows on his bones.

"_So, do you think any of them will take the bait?" _Soulshatter, the blade of a hundred thousand souls, hovered lazily at the dracolich's left side, allowing Sirmyurin to walk on the right.

"Almost certainly. My bet's on the cyan one. Her profile labeled her as the 'Element of Loyalty'. I suppose that means she's the easiest one to fool with this type of ploy."

"_Heh. Loyalty, friendship, what does it all matter, in the end? What drives mortals to these odd ideals?"_

The white alicorn looked away, seemingly examining the integrity of the magical passageway. "I really wish I knew. I thought I did once, but…I was wrong." Shadows coiled around the alicorn's yellow cat eyes, making them glow all the brighter.

Mauraxus glanced at his companion with his eye sockets. _"You were wrong? That's a rather rare occurrence. Mind telling me the details?"_

"Enough talk. We're here."

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><p>"Rarity, did you hear that?" Rainbow Dash cocked her head to the side and perked up her ears.<p>

"Hear what?" the white unicorn asked, looking around them. It was still all dark, with a three dimensional labyrinth of black marble and water surrounding them. "I didn't hear anything."

"It sounded like a scream! One of the others is in trouble!" Rainbow Dash's wings blurred into overdrive, ready to charge off to save the day. She ran a hoof through her multicolored mane, brushing it out of her eyes and adding that 'daredevil tousled look'.

"Wait! Rainbow Dash!" Rarity had thought of something. The brash speedster pony paused, halfway ready to bolt. "What if it's a trick? Perhaps they're trying to split us apart, like Discord did. What if that scream was fake? Besides, _I _didn't hear a thing!"

Rainbow was conflicted. There _had_ been a scream. Her ears weren't lying to her. But if Rarity hadn't heard anything…what if it _was_ a trap? She'd be putting herself in danger, putting Rarity in danger. And this evil house had already proven to them that it was more than capable of messing with minds.

But….

If that had been a real scream, and Rarity just needed to clean her ears out, then…she couldn't just stand idly by and do nothing. She wouldn't deserve the title of Element of Loyalty if she did that.

"I'll just go for a quick check." Rainbow Dash told her friend. "Keep going. I'll be back in a jiffy!" She sped off, leaving a trail of rainbow light in her wake.

And Rarity was left all alone.

* * *

><p>At least the path was easy to follow, if not very tiring. For such an elaborate piece of interior architecture, the road Rarity was on seemed a one-track path. And that one way was up. Initially grumbling to herself as she climbed the steps and slopes, the fashionista had descended into a state of depressed silence. By her reckoning, which had been honed to a needlelike precision by a lifetime of watching and putting on fashion shows, Rainbow Dash had been missing for fifteen minutes now.<p>

Unless that cyan pegasus had a vastly different definition of the word 'jiffy', something had gone wrong. Rarity's mind began painting unpleasantly vivid and graphic images of Talonbite, that awful thing that had caught dear Applejack…

"No. No, I mustn't think of that now." She told herself. "I simply need to keep going. Rainbow Dash is probably just fine. She'll be back any moment now!" The more Rarity talked, the more it sounded like a pathetic attempt to reassure herself. Stepping over a small puddle of water, the white unicorn kept walking, looking back over her shoulder occasionally. Every now and then the path would twist left, right, or dip a bit, but for the most part, the monotonous black marble maintained a steady slope up.

Time began to lose meaning for Rarity. All she could think of was advancing, lest she begin to think too much about their predicament, and how vastly outmatched they were. Just one hoof after the next. One hoof, next hoof. Hoof down, raise, move forward, hoof down.

Which was why she almost fell over when she finally reached the top of the sloping path. The surprise of there just being flat ground beneath her hooves, instead of the selfsame upward incline, was strangely unusual. It seemed to be a spacious landing of some sort, but it was rather too dark to tell.

Rarity licked her lips and took a look around. Besides the fountain she and Rainbow Dash had passed near the bottom, there had been no more other such features, statue or otherwise.

But in the center of this large platform, was one of the most beautiful fountains Rarity had ever laid eyes on. It was carved out of black marble that was identical to the stone which she stood on, but it was so much more than just that. It was triple tiered, with artistically embossed floral art on the rim of each level. Crystal clear water gushed out in graceful arcs and jets from the top, which was fashioned to look like rolling ocean waves and dolphins. Each piece of the magnificent sculpture had a separate source of water, causing the fount to glimmer, shine, and ripple in the dim light. Adding to the mystique, about half a dozen radiant, tennis ball-sized orbs flew and bobbed gently inside the carved arches and marine life, shedding a soft light onto the already reflective surfaces.

Rarity stared at the masterpiece for a long time. It was only when a stray droplet of water from the fountain alighted in her open mouth that the fashionista realized just how thirsty the climb had left her. She was positively parched. And that fountain, winking and glinting in the dark, was starting to look more and more attractive, not just in the artistic sense of the word either.

Rarity carefully walked over to the edge of the water feature and dipped the very tip of her left hoof into the clear liquid. She gave it a taste. Her eyes widened.

Whatever this fountain was gushing, it could not be water. At least, not ordinary water. This stuff had _flavor._ A crisp, honeyed tang that seemed to refresh and quench at the same time. Whatever it was, it was better than what she'd been served at the Grand Galloping Gala. Without any further ado, the white unicorn abandoned all composure and dipped her head into the fountain, gulping down as much of the 'water' as she could.

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><p>Rarity awoke with a start. She had fallen asleep! How much time had passed? The fashionista looked wildly around, but nothing had changed. The fountain, the water, the glowing orbs, everything was in the exact same way as it had been when she had finished drinking her fill. The inside of Rarity's mouth felt rather sticky and dry. She cursed herself quietly. Not only had she been drugged, but she had been manipulated into drugging herself!<p>

"Ugh…they will pay for this…" she said quietly, getting to her hooves shakily, steadying herself on the side of the fountain. She vaguely remembered that she was waiting for something…someone…somepony…Rainbow Dash!

Just how long had it been? Rarity, remembering Twilight's method of solving things, listed the facts in her head. Her mouth was dry again, which meant that she had been sleeping long enough for the moisture to be absorbed by her mouth. Her legs were stiff, meaning that she had been lying still long enough to relax her muscles a bit. All in all, Rarity surmised she had been out for at least half an hour.

Add that to the amount of time she had spent getting here, as well as the time she had spent ogling the fountain, Rarity concluded that Rainbow Dash was either in need of help, helping one of the others, or…

"No! I mustn't think that! There is simply no way that Rainbow Dash could have met her end here!" Rarity mentally kicked herself for even thinking such a thought. She moved away from the fountain, which no longer seemed quite so beautiful, and flattened herself against the far wall.

Which was funny in itself, because there had been no far wall when the white unicorn had arrived on the landing. The revelation only struck when Rarity was right up against the slab of marble, making her freeze.

And then she heard voices. Faint, whispering voices coming from the wall she was hugging. Clamping a shaking hoof over her mouth to try to keep from screaming, Rarity edged away from the wall as quietly and stealthily as she could.

She wasn't fast enough to stop a scrap of sound from reaching her ears, despite that they were plastered against her scalp.

It sounded like it was saying "…Ponyville…". What was more, the voice had sounded familiar…Sirmyurin? Was he plotting behind this wall? If so, perhaps she could glean a few bits of information.

Rarity crept back over to the wall to locate the source of the voices. One was a raspy, reptilian voice, and the other most definitely belonged to the alicorn that called itself Sirmyurin.

There. A small crack in the otherwise featureless face of the black marble. The fashionista pressed her ear to the crack and listened. Currently, the raspy voice was speaking.

"…_you make such an interesting proposition. Perhaps it would be a good idea after all."_

"Certainly. The superior's pieces don't function without cost. We must simply bring back more souls for Talonbite to feed on."

"_Naturally. We cannot allow it to run out of energy in the thick of a battle. But why, may I ask, do you insist on harvesting from this place?"_

"Ponyville? Why, Mauraxus, it's simply chock-full of innocent souls. The purer the soul, the better Talonbite will function."

"_I thought the young had the purest souls. We should only harvest the young. No doubt the older ones will yield much less energy."_

"My thoughts exactly. In fact, once I'm done with my tea, we should begin preparations to…modify the town's water supply. Enchant the water, or alter it chemically. Either way, make those who consume it more susceptible to mental control. Then we can just march them into the house."

"_Excellent plan as usual. Very well, I shall wait until you finish your tea, then we will begin. Are we just after the younger specimens?"_

"Of course. Crumpet?"

The conversation then descended into drivel about whether crumpets or sandwiches were better for a tea time by this time, Rarity has long stopped listening. Whatever Sirmyurin and his villainous accomplice were planning, it wasn't good. She had to get back out and warn the town to check their water supply, and not drink out of it. And all that talk about young souls was even more disturbing.

Rarity's mind immediately jumped to Sweetie Belle, her sister. She was just a filly. What if Sirmyurin decided to harvest her soul for Talonbite? Rarity was unsure of just how Talonbite was supposed to 'feed', but if they so much as harmed a hair in her little sister's mane, they were going to get it.

The others could wait. Rarity had a new mission now, to protect stop this evil plan from ever coming to fruition. With no way to contact any of her friends, there was only one thing to do: head back on her own and trust the others to see it through without her.

Sirmyurin's voice echoed in Rarity's head.

"_With the exception of Veil, all of you delightful ponies can, as I mentioned back at the tea party, just wish to be out, and I'll make sure you end up back in the tea room."_

The question was, would Sirmyurin hold true to his promise if he knew that she was going to oppose him?

Only one way to find out.

"I, Rarity," she began. "Do wish to be taken back to the tea room…"

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><p>As soon as Rarity had disappeared, Mauraxus melted the wall into blue sparks, which were then reabsorbed into Soulshatter's blade.<p>

"_I can _not _believe she fell for that." _The dracolich muttered. _"Just what did you do to the water?"_

"I just put a flavoring enchantment on it, then threw in a bottle of sleeping draught." Sirmyurin replied, a smile on the alicorn's face. "I didn't think it would be quite so easy."

Mauraxus shook his skull in disbelief. _"Did she really think Talonbite needs to eat souls to continue functioning? That was one of the most ridiculous lies I've ever heard."_

"At least it did the job. That unicorn is now in the tea room, running out to stop a crisis which doesn't exist."

Both beings dissolved into quiet fits of laughter. This was going just as planned. Now, to deal with the so-called Element of Loyalty…

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><p><em>Author's Notes<em>

_Well, a different tactic this time. And it worked like a charm._

_Leave a review, or risk getting your water drugged._


	25. 23 Informality

23 Informality

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><p>"Twilight! Pinkie! Fluttershy! Veil! Anypony!" Rainbow Dash called as she weaved in and out of the twisting marble passageways. "Can anypony hear me? Hello!"<p>

Rainbow's voice echoed and reverberated among the stonework, but she saw neither hair nor hide of any of her friends, only serving to reinforce the weather pony's suspicion that something had indeed happened to them. It didn't make it any easier that the entire structure seemed to be larger than Ponyville itself, and one part looked a whole lot like another.

After what felt like an hour of searching and coming up with no results, the cyan pegasus reluctantly concluded that there was no other option but to return to Rarity and listen to the lecture she was sure to receive about hearing things. Rainbow Dash turned herself around, ready to retrace her flight pattern, which she had memorized. She hoped Rarity hadn't gone too far. That pony had a good heart, as was expected from the Element of Generosity, but Rainbow sometimes found her too headstrong for her own good.

Out of nowhere, a glowing blue ball the size of a tennis ball appeared, darting out into Rainbow Dash's flight route. It hummed quietly, beckoning Rainbow Dash to follow. At least, that's what she guessed; she didn't speak 'orb'.

"Heh. Don't speak 'orb'." Rainbow chuckled to herself, despite her current situation, that had been a good one. She made a mental note to use that the next time somepony came up with something she didn't understand.

The orb was fast, zooming through arches and stairways at top speed. But not too fast for Rainbow Dash! She kept on the glowing ball's tail, never letting it out of sight, imitating its every twitch, its every swerve. The air whistled in her ears, sending her mane and tail fluttering. Heck, this was almost like training to join the Wonderbolts! If this was all Sirmyurin and his superior could throw at them, then getting Veil's memory would be a piece of cake.

The orb appeared to be losing speed. Rainbow Dash had followed it all the way to the bottom of the structure, to a small cottage-sized box that it all seemed to rest on. It was incredible that the box didn't collapse under the weight of the whole thing.

Abruptly, the ball of light that was guiding Rainbow swerved down, sinking into the dark abyss below. Rainbow would have followed it down, but something inside her was making her stay up here.

With nowhere else to go, Rainbow Dash examined the large box. There was a small spot of discoloration on the side she was facing, almost like a smaller rectangle had been painted on the side. The cyan pegasus edged closer, squinting at the spot. It was roughly door-sized, and was a lighter shade of stone than the rest of the black marble around it.

She stretched out a hoof and poked it, cartwheeling back immediately after, in case it triggered a trap. It was just as well she did, because as soon as Rainbow was out of range, a blast of magical force blew the rectangle right off the box from inside out, shards of gray stone narrowly missing the flying pony, plummeting into the darkness below. There was no noise to indicate that the pieces ever hit the bottom.

Something flew out of the newly made hole and drifted past Rainbow Dash's nose, startling her.

It was a light yellow feather.

_Fluttershy._

The gaping hole in the side of the huge box beckoned to the brash speedster, daring her to come in and see what was inside.

Any other pony would have backed off, gone for help. Not Rainbow Dash. With a heart of fire and nerves of steel, the Element of Loyalty licked her lips and charged in with a fearsome shout.

* * *

><p>It was darker on the inside.<p>

Much darker. Rainbow Dash slowed herself down in case there was something lurking in the dark waiting for her to bump into it.

Eventually, her eyes adjusted to the gloom and she was able to survey the interior of the box a bit better. It was disorienting, to say the least, because from the inside, the box was the size of Celestia's throne room. There was what looked like a tea table in the center set for two, and a dark hole over on the far side of the room. A curled up dragon skeleton, the size of a train carriage, was lying in front of the table, its white bones gleaming in the unnatural dim blue light.

To Rainbow Dash's horror, the skeleton reared up, like a living, breathing thing. The bones ignited with green light, and the skull, now burning with emerald fire, stared directly at the cyan pegasus.

"_Greetings, Rainbow Dash." _A raspy, draconic voice resonated from the remains. "_What can a humble dracolich do for the Element of Loyalty?"_

"Yo-you're a dracolich?" Rainbow asked, her courage struggling to maintain control over her trembling body.

"_Indeed I am. If it's not too much trouble, why don't you take a seat? I have a proposition for you."_

"I'm not doing _anything_ until you tell me what you've done to Fluttershy, Mauraxus!" Rainbow shouted back.

The dracolich gave a pause. _"You know my name. What an _honor._" _

"Yeah, I know your name, you pile of dragon bones. I read it out of Veil's lexicon! Now tell me, where's Fluttershy?"

Mauraxus sent a burst of blue sparks flying at the gilded teapot that lay on the tabletop, making it pour steaming hot tea into two slightly oversized teacups. All the while, Mauraxus kept up the conversation.

"_Veil's lexicon, you say? How interesting. Milk and sugar?" _

Rainbow had had enough of this entire tea party business. It was surreal enough when an unknown alicorn with a huge ego was doing it, but now a living dragon skeleton? No. This was the last straw.

"I'm not sitting down." Rainbow Dash growled. "And unless you want to mess with one of the Elements of Harmony, you'll tell me everything you know about what's happened to my friends, right _now!" _Rainbow hoped she sounded braver than she felt. She just needed to maintain control of the situation, and everything would work out.

"_Ah. So you want to skip straight to the proposition then?"_

The weather pony's mood darkened. "Will you talk normal for a change and just tell me what I want?"

The dracolich put down its cup of tea and flew on decomposed wings to a hidden platform behind the large pit in the ground. It gave Rainbow a nasty grin and began to speak.

"_Fine. I'll, as you say, 'talk normal'. I am about to give you a rare opportunity to see into another world, through another's eyes. But, to earn this marvelous prize, you must pass a simple test. That's where _your _question comes in. I know what happened to your friends, and I know why you're here too. You came looking for your companion Fluttershy, the Element of Kindness, was it? Well, if you accept to take the test, I will show you what happened to her, and, as a free bonus, your Pinkie Pie as well._

"_What do you say…?"_

Rainbow Dash could feel something fishy going on here. If she wasn't mistaken, Mauraxus and his soul sword could have just killed her by now. But instead, the bone dragon was being unbearably civil and serving her tea, then offering a reward for taking a simple test and telling her what she wanted to know. Something wasn't right here; there had to be a catch.

But was there any other way to find out about that scream she had heard? And now that Mauraxus had confessed that he knew that something had indeed befallen Pinkie and Fluttershy, could she really afford to pass this golden chance up?

But still…something just didn't add up.

The dracolich looked at Rainbow Dash expectantly, its eye sockets dancing with viridian light.

"I'll take your test, Mauraxus, but you'd better tell me everything!"

"_Of course, of course. Now, behold!" _Mauraxus waved a skeletal claw, and suddenly, the entire chamber lit up, forcing the cyan pony to cover her eyes while they adjusted. Once she was able to see, Rainbow Dash immediately felt an outpouring of horror and hatred for the entire situation.

* * *

><p>Suspended above the yawning pit in the ground were two silver cages, each with a chain on the top which led to two quick-release mechanisms on the platform which Mauraxus was resting on. And in those two cages, bound and gagged by tethers of blue light, were Fluttershy and Pinkie Pie. Both of them were struggling and wriggling inside their cages, making muffled noises in their plight.<p>

Mauraxus, if possible, grinned wider. _"The test is simple. In a moment, I will release the chains binding the enclosures to this platform. You, Rainbow Dash, however, may choose to save _one_ of them. The cages drop fast, and the pit is deep. Maybe it even leads to the Void Nexus…but you can save one of them, Rainbow Dash. Just tell me who you want to go free, and I will gladly open the cage. Time is ticking. Choose wisely." _The dracolich pulled a gold pocket watch from inside its ribcage and looked at it. _"You have three of your minutes."_

Rainbow Dash realized, with a sudden chill, that she had never been in control. Mauraxus had been leading her on the whole time, baiting her with his civility and promises of rewards. All the while toying with her.

"Wait! Don't do this!" Rainbow pleaded. "I'll-I'll do anything you want, just don't hurt them!"

"_You are already doing what I want. Now, choose. You have two minutes and thirty-eight seconds left."_

"You sicko!" Rainbow burst out. "What is it you want from me? Do you like to make others suffer? Is that it?"

"_Perhaps." _Mauraxus answered lazily. _"As for what I want, why don't you start by telling me what you know about Veil, and what she can do? If you tell me that, I _may _be inclined to…reconsider."_

_I can't tell him what he wants. _Rainbow thought fervently. _He'll just use me to hurt Veil and the others. I can't tell him the truth. I can't betray my friends._

"Okay! I'll tell you everything!" she lied.

Mauraxus moved his paw away from the quick-release and settled back into a more relaxed stance, but kept the mechanism just within striking distance. The cages swung precariously over the chasm, swaying all around with the movement of their contents.

"_Well, I'm glad you're willing to be sensible. After all, your companions' lives are at stake here. Now, tell me, has Veil demonstrated any kind of vivid personality change? Or is she still that timid, weak creature that she was when we first started this entire affair?"_

"Um, Veil's a lot different now. She's more brave, and I bet she could kick your bony tail too!" Rainbow added that last bit with the hope that she would be able to unsettle the dracolich. To her surprise, when Mauraxus answered, he seemed a little less cocky.

"_Hmm…I see…" _Mauraxus looked away, running over some calculations in his mind. _"You are sure? Has she truly reached her full potential so quickly?" _The last part did not seem to be directed at Rainbow, rather it was a rhetorical statement, a consideration of possibility.

Rainbow's plan was working. Maybe she could distract Mauraxus, or make him panic enough to run for it, allowing Rainbow to free Pinkie and Fluttershy. Mauraxus returned his attention to the cyan pegasus.

"_Eh…has Veil recovered any of her previous memory, or does she still have amnesia? Answer truthfully, now."_

_Not a chance. _Thought Rainbow smugly. _I'm in control now. You won't get anything out of me, you evil monster._

"Um, she did mention remembering something, but Veil didn't want to tell us. She's kinda secretive about her past, you know." It was half-truth, seeing as Veil _had_ mentioned remembering horrible things, but she hadn't really remembered anything else.

"_I see…this is…unsettling news…"_ Rainbow tried not to smile as Mauraxus's wings began to beat, ready to carry him off. The dracolich seemed to have forgotten all about the 'test', which was just fine with Rainbow Dash.

Then the bone dragon opened a scroll that it pulled out of thin air. It read over it for a few moments, then stilled its wings and glanced at the pocket watch. Mauraxus gave Rainbow the most terrifying look she had ever received, almost paralyzing her with its wickedness.

"_Time's up." _The dracolich's right paw moved over, ready to click the quick-release. There was no way Rainbow could make it over in time to stop him. But she could still speak.

"Hey! Wait! Stop! I can tell you more!" Rainbow called frantically, her voice cracking with the strain of projecting her voice over such a distance. Her wings unfurled, ready to fly over faster than she'd ever flown before.

"_I don't want to hear more. I'm done with you." _The tip of Mauraxus's index talon brushed the switch.

"But-but you said if I told you about Veil, you'd reconsider! What about your promise?"

Mauraxus gave a pause, his empty eye sockets drilling into Rainbow Dash's magenta eyes.

"_I lied. Just like you."_

And the bone dragon's paw pushed down, releasing both cages and their inhabitants on a one way trip into the bottomless pit.

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><p>Author's Notes<p>

Oh dear. Whatever shall we do?

Oh wait. _We_ can't do anything. All we can do is read, and leave a review.


	26. 24 Echoes of the Past 2

24 Echoes of the Past Part 2

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><p>So I put up a picture. Yay. Ready to find out more about Veil's mysterious past?<p>

Also, thanks you everyone who left a review. As a reward, here's an extra long chapter.

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><p>"NOO!" Rainbow Dash cried as she sped off into the pit after the two rapidly falling cages. Her wings, beating harder than she'd ever made them go before, propelled the weather pony into the gaping void. She stretched her legs into a more streamlined shape, increasing her velocity even more. The wind rushed through her mane, screamed in her ears, made her eyes stream with tears as the dove down after her trapped friends.<p>

There. About twenty feet ahead, still in free fall, was the long chain that had been securing Pinkie's cage to the quick-release. It was now trailing behind the falling cage like a snake, whipping around slightly, but mostly keeping in a straight line. Rainbow Dash reached out a hoof, but was stung by the chain as it stuck her heavily. She tried again, crying out in pain as her foreleg was bruised by the interlinking loops. Evidently, grabbing the chains was not an option.

Fluttershy's cage was a little further down, rattling slightly as it fell. Rainbow thought she could see the yellow pegasus inside, still bound by the tethers of light. Maintaining a rapid descent, Rainbow Dash guided herself over to the edge of the cage and gave it a kick. The falling cage tilted, floating closer to Pinkie's cage. The motion gave Rainbow an idea, something that might just let her save her friends.

_I hope this hole is really deep, _Rainbow thought. _'Cause if we hit the bottom before this works…_

Rainbow Dash glanced down. It was still unfathomably dark. Good.

The cyan pegasus kicked Pinkie's cage, guiding it over to Fluttershy's falling prison. No time to keep it gentle; keeping them all alive was all that mattered. With the wind howling in her ears, Rainbow Dash repeated this course of action until the cages were about a pony's length from each other.

Rainbow spared another glance down. To her dismay, she could see something glimmering faintly in the gloomy depths. Was there an actual bottom to this infernal hole?

No time to think. Just act.

Rainbow Dash took a deep breath, no easy thing to do while in free fall, and implemented the most dangerous part of her rescue plan. Stretching out all four of her limbs to the fullest, she flipped her right wing and barrel rolled right into the two chains that were attached to the top of the cages. It felt like being pummeled from all directions by links of hailstones, but the maneuver had done what it was supposed to do. Rainbow Dash was now wrapped up in the chains, which were surprisingly light for their size. Both cages now hung on either side of the weather pony, hopelessly entangled around each other's' chains and around Rainbow Dash herself.

Groaning with the effort, Rainbow began to flap her wings, slowing their descent. She ground her teeth together with the effort, but it wasn't enough. She willed herself to flap harder. Her wings obeyed, but still, the three ponies continued to fall at an alarmingly fast rate.

As they fell, the glimmers at the bottom became clearer and clearer.

At the bottom was a bit of icicle spikes, each frozen spear over three meters long, all of them angled upwards, ready to skewer and impale any unlucky victim.

If Rainbow didn't stop before then, she would be the unlucky victim.

Somewhere in her fatigued and adrenaline-laced mind, Sirmyurin's words came back to her.

"_With the exception of Veil, all of you delightful ponies can, as I mentioned back at the tea party, just wish to be out, and I'll make sure you end up back in the tea room."_

Rainbow Dash's mouth began to form the words.

"I, Rainbow Dash, do wish…"

_NO._

She wasn't leaving her friends. Either she would save them all, or go down trying.

"Heh…nice try, Mauraxus, but I'm still the Element of Loyalty, and the Element of Loyalty doesn't _ever _abandon her friends!"

And the thought gave new strength to her weary wings, defying the grim jaws of death that opened to greet them.

* * *

><p>Mauraxus was just pouring himself a second cup of tea when he heard a <em>clang.<em> The dracolich looked up, slightly annoyed by the interruption.

There, lying on her front at the edge of the pit, was a bruised, battered, and sweaty Rainbow Dash, with two chains wrapped around her midsection. The two cages which held her friends lay a little further forward, thrown there by the force of her crash-landing. Rainbow groaned faintly, a red trickle of blood running from the corner of her mouth.

Mauraxus examined the exhausted pegasus for a few moments, popping a piece of French toast into his mouth, letting it melt into blue sparks.

"_Hmmm. Well, this was unexpected." _The dracolich opened a yellow portal, ready to speak into it. _"But not unanticipated." _To the portal, he said "_Sirmyurin? The cyan one survived. Shall I proceed, or finish her right now, while she is down?"_

Sirmyurin's voice drifted out of the portal, transmitting the alicorn's message as if he were actually there speaking. "No. Let her recover, then show her then next part of the plan. If she survived the pit, then giving her a beating won't be enough to send her away."

"_Not even if I burn her to ashes?" _Mauraxus suggested hopefully.

"No." Said Sirmyurin firmly. "You are not to burn her to ashes."

"_What about her companions then? Can I burn _them _to ashes?" _

"_No._ You are not to burn any of them to ashes."

"_Oh, alright then. I'll just rip her head off."_

"Mauraxus, you are not to inflict _any_ kind of bodily harm whatsoever on the pegasus known as Rainbow Dash." Sirmyurin was getting more and more irritated by the exchange. "Just wait for her to recover. I am very sure that once she sees this memory shard, she will show herself the way out, and spare us the trouble."

"_It's no trouble," _Mauraxus insisted lightly. "_No trouble at all."_

"Just leave it."

"…_Fine. But this plan had better work."_

"Mauraxus, if she does not go away of her own accord, you may burn and tear her head off if you so wish. I give you my word." Sirmyurin promised.

"_I will hold you to that."_

The dracolich closed the portal, and settled down at the table for a cup of tea and a long wait.

* * *

><p>Rainbow Dash became vaguely aware that there was something coppery and sour in her mouth. Her entire body felt like it had been run over by the morning train to Canterlot, and there was something wrapped around her waist.<p>

She felt she should say something. 'Help' was a good one, Rainbow thought hazily.

"Mmmllp." She croaked. Not a good start, even for a cider-drinking mule. She tried again.

"Help…"

That was better. Now, had anypony heard that? There were footsteps coming closer, she could hear them, but they didn't sound like hooves. Rainbow's brow furrowed as she tried to figure this out. Who could be coming? Well, whoever it was didn't really matter. Rainbow didn't feel like she could move an inch at the moment, much less pick and choose who was going to rescue her.

A dragon's skull, glowing with green light, loomed into Rainbow Dash's field of vision. A grinning, horribly familiar dragon skull.

Mauraxus.

Mauraxus with his black-bladed floating sword, Soulshatter, approached the prone pegasus at a leisurely pace. When the dracolich reached her, her placed a bone claw on the blade of the sword, sending a pulse of pure blue light into the weather pony's abused body.

It felt good. Rainbow could feel all the aches, all the soreness fading away until they were just slight annoyances. She rolled over, getting slowly to her hooves.

All she could say was, "…Why?" Even that one word made her wince, sending a spike of pain through her raw throat.

The bone dragon stared back, his mood impossible to judge. A cup of tea levitated over from the table. It was lukewarm, but the cyan pegasus drank it down gratefully, feeling the life rush back to her.

"Why?" she asked once more.

"_Because you passed the test. I'm here to give you your reward, and I can't have you die on me before I give it to you." _The dracolich held up a droplet of light between two of his talons, identical to the one Sirmyurin had given Veil.

"_Before I give it to you, I must commend you on your physical endurance. Not many of your race could have lifted two cages such a distance, even if they were empty."_

The last part of that sentence caught Rainbow's attention. "What?"

"_See for yourself."_

Rainbow Dash sank down to her knees. There, in front of the pit, were the two cages she had risked life and limb to save. They were lying on their sides, but otherwise still intact, and still locked tight.

And they were empty.

"_It's such a boon, being able to manipulate the nature of reality to your every whim," _mused Mauraxus as he picked up a biscuit and ate it, letting the sparks fuse with his bones.

Rainbow was shocked beyond belief. "You mean…the whole time…the cages…"

"_Yes, yes, they were empty. But I already told you I was lying, so it's really your own fault you went after them."_

"They were empty…? The whole time?"

"_Indeed they were." _Confirmed the bone dragon, tossing the drop of light into the air and catching it again. _"Do you want your prize now?"_

"You…" Rainbow Dash started, pawing the ground, ready to charge.

Mauraxus held up a skeletal claw. _"I just saved your life, so I would prefer to talk this over like civilized beings, rather than fighting it out like barbarians."_

As much as she hated to admit it, Rainbow knew the dracolich was right. Besides, if it really came to blows, there was little doubt who would emerge victorious. The cyan pegasus swallowed her temper and sat down on the tiled black and white floor.

"Fine. I'll take my _prize_, and then I never want to see you again. If I do, I'll make sure to grind all your bones into dust!"

Mauraxus seemed entertained by Rainbow's threat. It approached and asked, _"Have you ever seen…a human?"_

'A _what?_"

"_Never mind. You'll see soon enough. In our line of work, we travel to many worlds, performing missions and tasks for the Grand Master. One of these worlds, is the human world. Two legged creatures." _

Her curiosity aroused, Rainbow Dash forgot about her rage for the moment and asked, "Why are you telling me this?"

"_Believe me. Only the strongest willed of beings could see this memory, and not have their mind snapped in two by its foreignness. You proved your strength of will by passing the test, but some background knowledge is still helpful, if mind-breaking is to be prevented. Now, in her short time of service, Veil ran a mission to this particular spot in the human world. It was called…well, it doesn't really matter. Take this memory shard, and see how she handled it. Then, ask yourself, is Veil who she tells you she is, or was she lying to you, like we were to each other?"_

Mauraxus handed over the pinprick of light, letting it roll into Rainbow's outstretched hooves.

"Wait. How do I know this is real?" Rainbow asked. "How do I know this isn't just some fake vision you're giving me?"

"_I give it to you on my honor as an operative of the Grand Master. There is no greater vow than that."_

And with not another word, the dracolich opened a large yellow portal and flew inside, the portal shutting as soon as he was through.

Rainbow Dash looked at the memory shard in her hooves. It sparkled and glimmered like a diamond, taking all the light that hit it and amplifying it.

Hesitantly, Rainbow put the shard on the floor, set her hoof above it, and crushed it.

The world began to turn white…

* * *

><p><em>Veil, now with an extraordinarily long and messy mane, strapped on her armor. Parts of it fastened themselves while she donned her wing guards and front bracers, stepped into her rear hoof greaves and finally, folded the terrifying helmet over her grim face. Her mane rippled and flowed in the gusty air. <em>

_She looked down. It was a long way to fall. She could see tiny buildings beneath her, specks of beings going about their daily business. Here and there, yellow pinpricks of light as portals opened and closed. _

_Veil took a deep breath. _

"_Nervous?" Asked a voice. Sirmyurin, tall and white, stood behind the black armored pegasus. They were standing on one of many floating platforms that revolved in a wide circle around the main structure, a colossal golden spire that also drifted through the air. _

"_I guess so." Veil admitted, flapping her wings slowly. _

"_Just remember, keep the illusion up until the deal is over, then give the signal. Or you could take matters into your own hooves if you wanted. Try not to though. We need this contract sealed as fast as we can, and that means you can't delay, not unless you are in honest danger."_

"_Got it." Veil walked even closer to the edge. She turned around once again. 'Thanks for coming with me."_

"_Not a problem. Now, it's almost time. Ready?"_

"_Ready."_

_Veil folded her raven wings and stepped off the platform._

"_Be as lethal as you need to be!" Sirmyurin shouted._

* * *

><p><em>The wind rushed into every tiny hole of Veil's armor, howled in her ears, bit into every exposed bit of her. Her mane whipped and lashed in the air. She didn't care. For this one moment, Veil felt alive. There was nothing, nobody else here, but her, diving at the ground like a black meteor. She tucked her legs closer to herself and concentrated. About five hundred meters in front, a yellow portal opened up in front of her. <em>

_She fell right into it, flaring her wings as soon as she entered, slowing her descent and almost ripping her wings out with the sudden loss of momentum. As she descended, her shape, her face, everything rippled and stretched, her back legs extending down, her face growing flatter, her armor changing into a dress of some sort, long and elegant with belled sleeves. Black, of course. Fingerless gloves. _

_Now Veil resembled some sort of two legged creature, pale skin and flowing black hair. Her wings were hidden under a tattered black cloak. The only thing that stayed, besides her wings were her eyes. The selfsame glaring yellow. Veil landed behind some tall fir trees and dusted herself off. _

_It was time to get this job done. _

"_Ugh. How do humans get around like this? This kind of body is ridiculous." She grumbled. _

_She strode off on her new legs and entered a large stone castle. Two tall muscular guards stood sentinel at the portcullis, halberds at their sides. They nodded and stepped aside as Veil passed thought between them, not arousing a single bit of suspicion with her disguise. _

_She had been meeting with the occupant of this palace for almost two weeks now, gaining his trust. This night, the target was going to let her into his inner sanctum, where all of his magical artifacts were being kept. _

_He had been so easy to seduce. So easy to flatter. For a sorcerer, that was a fatal flaw. He had even taken off the hexes that guarded the main hall, just so she could come in at any time! How foolish of him. _

_And how convenient for her. _

_Veil strode past several more guard posts, her dress swishing about her long legs. She mentally cursed human anatomy. _

_The target was waiting there for her in his room, dressed in a fine crimson suit that complemented his golden hair. _

"_Welcome, my lady." He said in a low, attractive voice. "I have been awaiting your arrival for hours."_

_The male leaned in close to Veil, taking her hand in his. "Every moment without you has been a moment of torment."_

_Veil smiled back and said, "Well, allow me to ease your torment, and provide whatever relief I can give." _

_The target did not seem to notice the forced tone Veil's voice had. _

"_Oh, my lady, I had something rather…different…planned for tonight." He kissed Veil on the cheek. She placed a hand on his chest, keeping him at a respectable distance. _

"_Oh, you naughty boy," Veil crooned. "I like the way you think, you handsome…stallion." Veil's compliment drew a slight look of confusion from the sorcerer. "But I feel…skittish here, with all the guards watching. Do you have someplace more…private, that we could use?"_

_The golden haired male smiled lustily. "For you, my love, I would conjure up the moon. A secret room is no trouble for the likes of me. Nobody knows of its existence except for me, and now, you."_

_He pulled a candlestick on the wall and the wall slid open, revealing a set of marble stairs leading down into the basement. The pair slowly descended into the secret chamber. _

_Nobody notice Veil casting a tiny blue symbol onto the wall, or that a long thin blade glinted from inside her dress sleeve._

* * *

><p><em>Outside the fortress, the guards heard a splash. As one, the pair looked into the moat. <em>

_The body of a fellow guard floated by, a shining shard of something sticking right through his helmet. _

"_Oh-" Was all they managed before four black-clothed figures with glowing yellow eyes leapt from the bushes and stabbed them through the throat with long-bladed fingertips. Their bodies were thrown in the moat. _

_The strike team moved into the castle. One of them muttered something and transformed the tip of its index finger into a long, hollow tube. It clenched the rest of its fingers so that only its index finger was extended. Then it used the tube to shoot a glowing shard of light at a guard who walked past the window, killing him instantly. _

_The rest of them spread out and moved amongst the many rooms, assassinating anyone they found, guard or not. It was completely silent, and they showed absolutely no mercy._

_Whenever they struck, the beings in black would mutter something to the corpse. Moments after they left, this spell would ensure that the soul would not pass to the afterlife, but would instead be redirected to a more private place to be sorted. Half an hour later, the team closed in on the sorcerer's room, only encountering one guard, who had his top half separated from his bottom half and his head blown off when he resisted._

* * *

><p><em>The sorcerer in red frowned. He had heard the splash. It was probably nothing, but when one was keeping a fortress full of dangerous magical artifacts against the law, it was always better to check. <em>

"_Excuse me, my dear." He said, buttoning up his shirt. "I have to go tell the guards to stop disturbing us." _

_He angrily climbed the stairs out, leaving Veil by herself. _

_The room she was in contained a small library of scrolls and spellbooks, a weak enchanted mace, and a possessed suit of armor, which was dormant. All in all, not a bad catch, for this sort of world._

_The ruler of the castle stomped over to the door to his study and threw it open. He was greeted by a guard, standing right up against the doorframe, a look of surprise on his muscular, unshaven face._

"_What is the meaning of this?" the sorcerer demanded. "I specifically asked for peace and quiet tonight…"_

_He trailed off when he noticed a trickle of blood running from the guard's mouth. Then the guard's body convulsed, jerked, and tore apart, splattering the shocked blond male with gore. Behind the guard's remains stood four black-clothed figures, hoods concealing everything but lit up yellow eyes._

_The sorcerer splayed his fingers and threw a lightning bolt at them. The one at the front waved and a yellow portal opened up to catch the spell before it could hit. Half a second later, another portal opened in the ceiling, the lightning bolt speeding out and striking the sorcerer in the shoulder with a brilliant flash of light. He went down on one knee in pain. _

_He cast a healing spell on himself and ran back to the secret room. He had to protect his treasure, he had to protect his lady. The four figures in black walked leisurely after him, one of them swiping a bag of gold coins as they went._

"_My lady, we are under attack! Get behind me!" _

_Veil duly jumped off the bed and got behind the target. The strike team came downstairs, covering the exit. _

"_I know what it is you're here for. My collection. Well, you won't have it. If you intend on stealing it, I'll burn it all first!"_

_He held up a roaring fireball in his fist and prepared to throw it at the bookcases of scrolls. The team of black coated beings paused. They could not afford to lose this stash. The sorcerer sensed their hesitation, and began to charge up a second spell in his free hand, all while shielding Veil from harm._

_Then the tip of a blade sprouted from the center of his chest, letting out gouts of blood and making him extinguish both spells. The blade withdrew, the male slumping to the floor in a puddle of his own blood. He looked up and saw the woman he loved wiping her wrist blade on a handkerchief. _

"_But…why?" he croaked, trying to cast a healing spell but failing. "I thought we understood, loved, each other…?"_

"_I'm sorry," Veil muttered, looking at him with cold, yellow eyes. "But business comes first."_

_And she brought the blade onto the target's throat, severing his head._

_The strike team clapped slowly, clapped until they were ready to load off all the loot in the room. _

_Veil looked back at the corpse of the target. She decided to try to forget this as soon as she could. Humans were so strange, she thought as she morphed back to her normal appearance. _

"_Rest in peace." _

_As Veil took off into a swirling midair portal, she looked back one last time at the sorcerer's castle, just in time to see it explode into a roaring fireball._

_Perhaps a visit to the guilt counselor was called for._

* * *

><p>AS the world returned to its regular appearance, Rainbow Dash could do nothing but hold her head and moan as a headache overtook her.<p>

Just what the _buck_ had she just seen?

And had Veil…really done that? How could she? Even by Discord's standards-no. Even by _Nightmare Moon_'s standards, that had been low. At least the queen of eternal night hadn't made everypony fall in love with her before betraying and killing them.

Veil had lied to her. Lied to her friends, and they had blindly trusted her in return.

Well, Rainbow had had enough. She wasn't going to be part of this anymore. If Mauraxus wanted to kill Veil, that wasn't her problem.

She probably deserved it.

"I, Rainbow Dash, wish to be taken back to the tea room, and…away from all this!"

And the brash weather manager of Ponyville vanished into a burst of white light.

* * *

><p><em><strong>Four down, three to go.<strong>_

The superior watched with satisfaction as the cyan pony figurine left the board.

_**Now, Mauraxus, I have one more task for you. Go and take care of the survivor.**_

"_Survivor, my superior?"_

_**Indeed. Sirmyurin can give you the details. Now go.**_

"_Yes, my superior."_

* * *

><p>Down in one of the fountains situated in the depths of the black marble monstrosity, Fluttershy gasped and opened her eyes.<p>

* * *

><p>Author's Notes<p>

I took a risk introducing humans into this, so I want some feedback.

That and I just like getting reviews.


	27. 25 Idle ChatterEchoes of the Past III

25 Idle Chatter/Echoes of the Past Part 3

* * *

><p>Again, thank you anon reviewer, ChrnoKeeper, The Random 1, and EpicSmiley12 for leaving a review. If anyone else leaves a review for Chapter 26.24, then they were left after I wrote this.<p>

Re uploaded due to the site cutting out words...again

* * *

><p>"I'm not entirely sure you should be the one handling this, Mauraxus. You aren't exactly known for your…subtlety and delicacy."<p>

The dracolich in question took a step away from the glowing portal, eyeing the white alicorn with what was close to incredulity.

"_Whatever do you mean by that?"_

"I mean," Sirmyurin explained patiently, "For example, on the fifth outer realm retrieval we did together, the targets were running from us and hiding in a group of armed locals."

"_So? If I recall correctly, that mission was completed well ahead of schedule."_

"Yes, but that was because you summoned half a battalion of Doomknight Marksmen to the resulting battle. And in the resulting chaos, the targets ended up with over fifty Phantom-Glass puncture wounds, which ended up killing them. And that's not taking into account the hundreds of locals caught in the crossfire."

"_Bah. A one-time mistake, and this is the second time you've brought it up. Besides, the skirmish yielded a net gain of about three hundred souls, so why are you complaining?" _Mauraxus began to tread toward the portal again, when Sirmyurin continued.

"That wasn't a skirmish, it was a massacre. A very well planned and well executed one, but still, we are a retrieval team, not an assassination or elimination team. Remember that."

Mauraxus muttered something and gestured at Soulshatter with his skull, making the blade elongate slightly.

"…and not twenty-seven years ago, I recall you returned with your own client's head clasped in your jaws. Your own client! That was rather questionable." Sirmyurin gave the bone dragon a look of slight disapproval.

"_Blame him for not paying up for services rendered. We are supposed to retaliate of not paid in full, remember? I'm a dracolich. That is how I retaliate."_

"Well, yes, but-oh, just handle this carefully, alright? We're very close, so please, use your discretion."

Mauraxus entered the portal with a silent smirk.

"_I always do."_

* * *

><p>"Ah, Ah-tcho!" Fluttershy sneezed quietly. She wiped her nose glumly and sniffled.<p>

The yellow pony had awoken floating face up in a deep-dish fountain that had been filled to the brim with cold water, and not too long after crawling out, Fluttershy had felt a cold beginning to develop. To make matters worse, once she had gotten out of the fountain, the first thing Fluttershy noticed was that the temperature had almost dropped to freezing. Although Fluttershy was by no means a frail pony, her body's immune system soon crumpled under the onslaught of damp and cold, and she began to feel woozy.

When she had first regained consciousness, Fluttershy's first thought had been of that horrible creature from the ice. That had passed quickly enough, but her fear came back twofold once she noticed something very important was missing.

There was no sign of Pinkie Pie anywhere.

A quick look around had confirmed her doubts. Her fluffy-maned party pony friend, the Element of Laughter, had all but disappeared. Fluttershy herself had felt stiff all over, but that had worn off soon enough, what with the brisk pace she was setting.

It was unfortunate, then, that when the Element of Kindness put a shaking hoof to her forehead, she found it to be unpleasantly warm. That was funny. If anything else, she should have been cold all over, unless…

Fever. The cold had evolved into a full blown fever, and with no way of knowing where she was, Fluttershy did not dare exhaust herself and fly for her friends. There was no way of knowing if they were even there anymore, or if-

Fluttershy suddenly had a petrifying thought, the horror of it making her whimper pitifully.

What if they had already found the key, and had moved on because they thought she was dead? Surely they wouldn't do that…would they?

There was nothing for the poor pony to do but trudge on in silent misery, only breaking the stillness to cough and snivel.

_I…I don't think I can go on. _Fluttershy thought in a feverish haze after twenty more wretched minutes of walking.

She was now shivering so much that it was impossible to keep still, and there was a slight haze around her field of vision. Her wings hung limp at her sides, feathers askew, and her once-soft pink mane was now sticky and matted with sweat and water. More than anything, Fluttershy wanted to lay down and have a long sleep.

But she could not. Here and there, shimmering gently on the black marble surface, were large puddles of half-frozen water, twinkling in the chilling blue light. Fluttershy may have been tired, but her fear of being attacked once again by an ice phantom was stronger than her drowsiness.

The yellow pegasus arrived at a wider platform of black marble and leaned against a statue for a quick rest. The statue was of a two legged creature with arms, seemingly wearing clothes; it looked to be a male, but with the fever burning away at Fluttershy's thought processes, it might as well have been a female. There was a spike of some sort, impaling the statue from behind, and the creature's face was frozen in a silent expression of disbelief and despair.

Fluttershy was beyond caring. With a final cough and sneeze, the animal loving pony gave in to her exhausted body's demands and fell asleep.

* * *

><p><em>Fluttershy awoke in her cottage, with Angel pulling the blankets off of her. The sun shone brightly through the open window, shedding its warm light on the interior of the yellow pony's home. Outside, ponies went about their daily business. All in all, a normal day in Ponyville.<em>

_Suddenly, there was a scratching at the front door, like there was a very angry cat trying to break in. Fluttershy rolled out of bed and cantered to the door, opening it with a wide smile._

"_Oh, hello-_Oh my!"

_There, standing at the door, was a tall, black-robed figure. The robes were parted down the middle, displaying a stark white ribcage and vertebrae. Clawed skeletal feet protruded from under the hem, biting into the dirt. Red eyes glowed from within its low hood._

_The ghastly apparition reached up with a bony hand and, ever so slowly, drew its hood back._

_Fluttershy screamed as loudly as she could, but could not tear her eyes away._

_Inside the hood was what looked like a goat's skull, but with much more exaggerated angles and a massive set of horns that had not been visible at first. The teeth had been filed to points, and a shadowy tongue flickered inside its decomposed mouth. _

_The robed phantasm stretched out a hand. A whirling ball of red and black sparks whirled from the ground, converging to form a long black staff, ornamented with red runes and etchings. However, unlike those of the manor, these runes were savage and choppy. The last of the sparks came together at the staff's tip, merging together to form a long, wickedly curved blade, as bright as the morning sun. _

_The being raised the scythe and swung downwards._

* * *

><p>Fluttershy sat up, gasping for breath and looking wildly around herself. It was all dark, and the floor felt cold and hard beneath her. There was no living skeleton with a scythe anywhere. Fluttershy shivered and tried to take a deep breath, but suddenly found herself coughing and wheezing, mucus running from her nose and a nasty tasting fluid coming from her throat. She could not stop until she was all out of breath, slumping to the icy floor in the very picture of defeat.<p>

And then, unable to take it anymore, Fluttershy began to cry. She sobbed and wailed, letting the tears run down her cheeks and pooling under her chin. Oh, how she wished that she had never come to this horrible place. It had been nothing but disaster after disaster from the very start. Maybe Veil had been right. Maybe they really _shouldn't_ be here. Fluttershy thought of her friends, perhaps in an even worse condition than her. She retched slightly, then went back to her grieving.

So focused on bawling was Fluttershy that she did not notice a skeletal claw alight on the platform behind her.

"_Dear, dear. It seems I have arrived a little too late." _

Fluttershy looked behind her slowly, her aqua eyes filled with distress and desolation.

"Please…" she whispered. "If you're going to end it…do it quickly. I can't stand it anymore…"

"_I beg your pardon?" _Mauraxus padded over and curled himself in front of the stricken pegasus. Then he gave a little laugh. _"Did you have a nightmare? Here, let me help,"_

Mauraxus waved a claw and, in a burst of bright blue sparks, a pile of dry wood appeared between the unlikely pair. The dracolich exhaled a short stream of green fire at the tinder, setting it alight. Soon, there was a merry blaze lighting up the dark marble platform. Mauraxus began to pull various articles of tea time from thin air. A teapot, two mugs, a silver platter with a domed lid.

Fluttershy watched as the dracolich worked. Could it be that this was…Mauraxus? The skeleton dragon that Veil's lexicon had described? But in the lexicon, Mauraxus had looked so…evil. But here he was, looking after her. Could there be more to it than the lexicon had let on?

Fluttershy gave a slight start as the bone dragon levitated a soft, warm blanket around her body. As she felt her body begin to warm up, Mauraxus slid a hot mug of…something under her nose. It smelled delicious, like cinnamon and celery and honeydew and all sorts of things that shouldn't have gone well together, but miraculously did.

"_You seem to be ill. Drink that, it'll make you feel better."_ Mauraxus told her gently, taking a sip from his own mug, the liquid transforming into a rush of blue sparks on the way down. The mare did as she was told, tentatively gulping down some of the drink.

Not only did it smell delicious, it _was_ delicious. What was more, as she drained the mug, Fluttershy's fever began to dissipate, the shivering subsiding. Once the mug was empty, Mauraxus levitated the teapot over and refilled it.

"_Now, are you alright, little one?" _The dracolich asked.

Fluttershy nodded appreciatively. "I am now, Mr. Dragon. Thank you for helping me."

Mauraxus seemed to dip his skull in embarrassment. _"Well, I couldn't just leave you there, you might have died, and I can't have that. Oh, and you can call me Mauraxus." _

Fluttershy edged closer to the emerald fire. It smelled…almost nice. Like bread being toasted. "I'm Fluttershy." She said with a light smile.

"_Well then, Fluttershy, I need to ask you something very important. Can you help me?"_

The yellow pegasus nodded vigorously. "Anything to help," she said eagerly.

"_I need to know, what do you think of this entire situation? The manor, Veil's arrival, the black marble? What do you think?"_

"Well, it's been very scary," the yellow mare admitted from inside her blanket. "And I felt like giving up at times. But I know that Veil's memory is the only thing she had left to live for, and she's all alone in the world with nopony to show her any kindness. I guess that if Veil wasn't involved, I'd let somepony braver do this."

"_I see. Well, that's all very well. I think that you're very brave for not dying already. Not to mention smart and strong." _The dracolich pulled out a titanic black bladed sword, using its other paw to lift the lid on the silver platter. Underneath was a lightly frosted tea cake. Using the sword as a knife, Mauraxus soon had the cake cut into ten identical slices, passing one to Fluttershy on a white china plate. Taking another slice for himself, both dracolich and pony began to eat. The cake was just as good as the tea. As they ate, Fluttershy began to loosen up.

"I had the most horrible dream," she remarked. "I was face with this evil thing standing at my front door, holding a scythe."

Mauraxus stopped eating. _"A scythe, you say?"_ he inquired slowly. Fluttershy nodded.

"_Did this being also have an animal skull for a head?"_ the dracolich inquired, the green fire making his bones stand out all the more.

"Yes, and it wore black robes. It was one of the worst dreams I've ever had." Whispered the yellow mare, taking a fortifying gulp of tea. Mauraxus looked pensive.

"_A Void Nexus Magistrate…no. Perhaps only the vestige of one. This is serious…"_

To Fluttershy, he said "_It's alright. Dreams cannot hurt you. You are safe from them. Normally."_ He added under his breath. He polished off his slice of cake and took another.

"Um, Mauraxus?"

"_Yes?"_

"Why are you doing all this?" Fluttershy sat up a little straighter. "Why do you want Veil?"

Mauraxus tittered. _"Tell me, Fluttershy, when you saw me, what did you think? Please, be honest."_

"Well…I thought…you were.." Fluttershy trailed off, not wanting to offend the bone dragon.

"_You thought I was an evil monster."_ Mauraxus finished for her. His pony companion nodded, ashamed of thinking such a thing.

"_There, there. It's alright. I suppose I _do_ need to work on looking more aesthetically presentable. But am I an evil monster?"_

"No! You're such a caring dragon."

"_Precisely. Now, when you saw Veil, what did you think?"_

Fluttershy drank down some more tea. "I thought she was a poor dear who just needed some kindness in her life."

"_Ah. There you are. But, has she proven this to be true?"_

"Well, yes! Veil's been helping us, and even saved us from that black, smoky monster."

"_Ah, yes, she used her bracer blade. Such a dangerous weapon."_ Mauraxus's eye sockets gleamed in the firelight. _"It could be so very deadly if used for the wrong purposes…"_

Mauraxus pulled a glittering droplet of light from inside his teacup. It looked like a little fragment of the sun, only it wasn't blinding, only shedding a soft corona of light around makeshift campsite.

"_I'm sorry to be the one to show you this, but I think it would be better if you went home. Fluttershy, I know that you are more inclined to take Veil's side here, but please. I implore you, take a look at this memory shard."_

He rolled the shining ball onto Fluttershy's plate.

"_Decide for yourself if Veil is truly who you think she is. I must go now. Please, feel free to help yourself to anything here. And, remember, Sirmyurin offers you a way out. Just make a wish."_

The bone dragon spread his wings, lifting off the ground silently and disappearing amongst the maze of black marble.

The Element of Kindness stared at the beautiful marble-sized ball before her. Remembering how Veil had done it, she put it on the floor, and lifting her hood, crushed it.

The world turned white…

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><p><em>A half-armored Veil was lying down on a plush red couch, polishing her left bracer with a cloth held in her right. Her black mane was lengthier than it had been in the previous vision. Her bracers gleamed in the light shed by a chandelier of blue fire hanging from the ornately carved ceiling. Soothing music played from an unknown location, lending the entire scene an almost homely look.<em>

_A swirling yellow portal opened in the air in front of the reclining pegasus, who put the cloth down and arose to greet the visitor. It was Sirmyurin._

_Veil and the Gigas extended their hooves and shook. Then Sirmyurin pulled a letter from the air and handed it over to Veil. Tugging it open with a pulse from her bracer, Veil quickly scanned the contents. When she lowered the letter, she was smiling like she had just been invited to the Grand Galloping Gala, but with an evil edge to it._

"_I can go back to Equestria for this mission? Really?" she asked, struggling to contain her excitement._

_Sirmyurin returned her smile. "You now have the chance to avenge yourself and do what your so-called 'friends' would not. However, if you attempt to go beyond the boundaries, an extra two years will be added onto your contract. In other words, you are not permitted to come into contact with any other residents of Equestria."_

_Veil was taken aback. Obviously she had been intending to meet with her friends and family on the duration of this task. The peagsus blinked back angry tears and nodded slowly._

"_I understand. No contact. Is there a particular way the client wants this done?"_

"_Not at all, as long as you bring back the desired items. Everything else is up to you."_

_Sirmyurin gave her a pat on the shoulder before opening another portal. As the gate closed, he turned around and waved. _

_Veil sighed and turned away from the empty spot where the portal had just been. Then she wearily began to don the rest of her armor, which had been stored under the table. Mask, tail guard, wing guards, and rear leg bracers._

"_I'm sorry, everypony. I thought I could come home and visit, but if I want to ever get back for real, I'll have to wait."_

_And with that, yet another yellow portal opened in the air and Veil stepped through._

_In the middle of the Everfree Forest, a pride of manticores was enjoying a siesta in the late afternoon. In fact, this was one of the last manticore prides left in Equestria. Unfortunately, it happened to be the same group of manticores that had ambushed a certain field trip so many years ago, buta lot of the creatures had long forgotten the taste of pony._

_A swirling yellow portal opened in the air in the center of the pride. The closest manticore's nose twitched. It, like a few others, remembered that smell, albeit mixed with an unfamiliar scent that it didn't recognize. But a part of it was scent of prey that had escaped it a long time manitcore roared, alerting its comrades. The portal was soon surrounded, and by the time Veil stepped out, every manticore in the pride was wide awake and ready for a meal._

_Veil looked around at the manticores around her. She spoke, using her mask's enchantments to communicate with the beasts._

"_Good afternoon."_

_The lead manticore snarled. "_Pony. Prey. Manticores will eat you."

"_Funny you should mention that," Veil remarked ominously. "I believe I owe you a little something from a year or so back." _

_Veil unfurled her wings and extended her forelegs, allowing the blades built into her armor to slide and pivot out. A nimbus of crackling blue sparks churned around her, and symbols all over the armor itself glowed an evil blood red. With one powerful flap, the pegasus launched herself up, scowling down at the manticores below 's eyes gleamed blazing red behind her armored mask._

_The manticores wasted no time, the nearest two flapping their own wings furiously to get airborne and bring down the flying pony. Just as the closest manticore's paw brushed the tip of Veil's tail, an arc of electric blue energy erupted from the cocoon of sparks with an earsplitting crack and the manticore fell, a hole burned straight through its kin paid no attention to the danger and swiped at Veil. She deftly twitched her left wing to avoid the blow and swept her left foreleg's blade down. There was a sickening squelch as metal and bone connected. Things broke. Not the blade._

_Veil withdrew her weapon, now stained a light maroon with manticore blood. The rest of the beasts roared at her, challenging this intruder to a fight to the death, as was their instinct. An instinct that had never let them down._

_Until this day._

_Veil dropped back down to the forest floor as the first of the manticore pride made it within attacking distance. The manticore opened its maw wide, exposing rows of filthy and sharp teeth. Veil turned and regarded the manticore coolly, then raised her right foreleg. The claws on her bracer clenched into a fist and the manticore was turned inside out in a spray of bone, blood and shredded organs. The mutilated corpse was swung at a second brute which had tried to get in from above. As it freed itself from its comrade's remains, the manticore found itself impaled on the tail of a third, whose head had been caved in with a heavy stone and was now leaking brain matter copiously. The skewered monster howled in agony but was silenced when Veil flew past and slit his throat with a bladed wing._

_Veil was laughing as she butchered the animals. "Who's the prey now, monsters? _WHO?" _she giggled as she flicked her barbed tail through a nearby manticore's lungs, fatally wounding beast stumbled around, trying to breathe, but to no avail. By now, the rest of the pride was circling around Veil. Instinct told them to never submit, never to give up. In a last ditch attack, half of the pride rushed the black pony._

_Veil stood unfazed as seven manticores, each one three times as large as a pony, charged at her, roaring death threats. Then she took to the air and reached out with both her clawed forelegs and pointed at a beast which was attacking from the left. There was a terrible crackling noise as the manticore was seized by the limbs with tendrils of blue energy. It tried to resist, but it may as well have given up as Veil's clawed forelegs parted and the once-proud manticore was torn into two down the middle. Veil flung the two halves of manticore aside and rolled backwards, opening up a huge gash in another attacker's belly with a mid-roll slice. Blood poured from the wound, saturating the already gore smeared clearing. The third attacking manticore came into contact with the nimbus of sparks which still surrounded his prey, and was killed instantly as all of his bones splintered into tiny shards, rendering him an unrecognizable mound of ruined flesh and bone chips. The fourth manticore, a little smarter than his fellows, tried a quick grab at Veil while she was occupied killing a fifth beast by removing his head, found both his front paws severed by the pony's wings. The sixth and seventh backed away slowly, hiding behind the only other beings in the clearing: The pride leader, the elderly manticores, mothers, and the young. The head manticore gave the two cowards a shove toward the menacing pony before them. Veil showed no mercy as they were coldly cut down with two quick strikes._

_The head manticore growled with dread and hatred. "_What are you, pony?" _it asked fearfully._

"_Somepony from your past." Veil whispered, reaching out and touching the lead manticore on the forehead with her clawed bracer. There was a ripple in the fabric of reality, a silent shockwave which rendered the manticore helpless. The rest of the pride fled, running as fast as they could away from the clearing, away from Ponyville. The remaining manticore stayed rooted to the spot, staring up into the heartless red eyes above him. _

"_Do you remember me now?" the gore-smeared demon-pony hissed, her voice twisted and distorted through the helmet._

"Yes. You are the pony who escaped me many years ago. Now I am at your mercy. Will you kill me?"

_Veil paused._

"_No."_

_The manticore visibly relaxed._

_Then she plunged her entire foreleg into the manticore's chest, blade, claws, and all. The beast roared with surprise, then went limp. Veil drew out a small glowing orb from within the gruesome chest cavity of the slain beast. Veil regarded the orb for a moment, watched as it pulsed like a living heart._

_This was the manticore's soul. The very essence of its existence. Without it, the beast she had just slain would be unable to pass to next life. Every soul was unique in some way, Sirmyurin had told her._

_Veil closed her metal claws, and with a snap, crushed the soul into thousands of tiny fragments. They sparkled beautifully as they faded into nothingness._

"_And stay dead, you monster." She spat, the last sparkles of the manticore's soul disappearing. _

_Veil extracted a few intact teeth from the site of the massacre and left through a summoned portal, casting one last look in Cloudsdale's direction. Veil's shoulders drooped as she went back to report._

"_I'll be back soon, everypony. I promise. Wait for me a little longer."_

_Author's Notes._

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><p><em>Ooh, violence.<em>

_This was fun to write. But I guess Fluttershy may not think so._

_More of Veil's past? Coming soon! Leave a review! _


	28. 26 Tea for Three

26-Tea for Three

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><p>First, thank you The Random 1, spoderman, ChrnoKeeper, Anonymous 7, qwerty, and EpicSmiley12 for leaving a review. It means so much to me that people are actually enjoying this.<p>

Sorry for the late update. I just felt burned out after writing chapter 25.

re-uploaded

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><p><em><strong>Well done, Mauraxus.<strong>_

The superior gave an especially toothy grin to the dracolich as he returned. The colossal chessboard was now almost devoid of pony figurines. Only the lavender and black ones remained, moving up a square as they observed. As the superior watched, the Talonbite figurine sprang into motion, moving one space up.

_**You not only proved that you are capable of handling delicate tasks, but also choosing the memory that will most deeply affect the target. Perhaps you should consider taking up mindbreaking as a secondary occupation. **_

"_I tried it, once. Not as satisfying as rending an opponent limb from limb, or incinerating them." _

Sirmyurin joined the pair, chewing a mouthful of cake, crumbs dropping onto the lace tablecloth.

"Oh, but there's more to mindbreaking than just manipulating thoughts and emotions. It also includes seeing the target's thought, memories, and playing around with them. If you do it right, you can make the target's head explode, if they had a head to begin with," The alicorn poured Mauraxus a cup of tea. "It's really not as dull as most beings think. Hehe. Bit messy though, when that happens." He added.

_**Indeed. However, I think that at this point, you both have performed marvelously. Driving off nearly the whole opposition without having to resort to actual force is quite an achievement. **_

The superior summoned a levitating tea table, laden with all manners of delicious treats, and of course, the ever-present tea set.

_**It will be some time before the final pair arrive at their challenge. Sirmyurin, I take it that everything is already in place?**_

The alicorn helped himself to a cup of tea, throwing in two sugar cubes. "Of course it's in place, my superior. Everything. The memory shard, the water, the challenge, the key. It's all taken care of." He picked out a biscuit, a cream filled cookie, and began to nibble it. "I want to do this alone, though."

Maruaxus glanced at the alicorn with some interest. "_Are you sure? If the target happens to reach maximum potential before the challenge is over, it might prove difficult to subdue for you alone." _The dracolich devoured a slice of cake before continuing. _"Not that I doubt your abilities, of course."_

_**It will be highly unlikely that either of the remaining ponies will cause much of a threat. Did you prepare the mark's armor?**_

"_Yes. It stands ready for use. Soon, we shall see whether the target can conquer her past, or if she will be slain by it."_

Sirmyurin threw a chocolate tidbit into the air with his mane, catching it in his sharp-toothed mouth.

"I am personally hoping she will rejoin us. It will be good to have her back with us."

_**Ah, but that require her complete compliance. I worry that perhaps the mark has become far too corrupted by the local influence for us to salvage. We may need an officer to properly reintegrate her. That, and her soul.**_

"_Her soul will be easy enough to obtain. After all, if you peel away the body, all you have left is the soul." _Mauraxus peeled a sandwich apart at ate each ingredient separately, just to illustrate his point. "_Destroying the body will be easy, especially if you have the right tool." _Soulshatter, uncloaking from behind the bone dragon, morphed into the shape of an oversized skinning knife.

Sirmyurin nodded, but without much enthusiasm. The alicorn seemed to suddenly lose interest in his the food before him. "I hope it does not come to that, though." He said quietly, using his mane to pick up his teacup and lift it to his mouth. The superior sensed his hesitation.

_**Is something troubling you, Sirmyurin? If so, do tell. If it pertains to the current mission, it may be of some help.**_

Sirmyurin said nothing. Mauraxus grinned and took over. _"Sirmyurin. I know that it may be difficult to forget that we all once worked with her, you most of all, but in order to fulfill the Grimm's wishes, you must put aside all sentiment and steel yourself. Then end is in sight. Them we call all go back and be rewarded." _

"Mmm."

"_Oh, do cheer up. It's not good for morale for you to be so gloomy all the time. We are allowed to have fun on missions, after all."_

_**And you two have helped provide fountainfuls of entertainment for me, as well as an excuse to rouse the Hall of Minera, as well as give Talonbite some hunting time. Besides, of you are feeling a little homesick, I strongly recommend thinking about what you plan on doing after we return. **_

Mauraxus and Sirmyurin gave the idea some consideration. After all, they were meant to listen to the appointed superior's orders during this mission, and 'strongly recommend' was just another way of saying 'orders'. The superior consumed two sandwiches while they thought.

"_Well,"_ said the dracolich, _"I want to see Grimm about returning to my physical form."_

"You already have a physical form," pointed out Sirmyurin.

"_Yes, but I am dissatisfied with it. Being a dracolich may give me free access to both the Grand Master's realm and the Void Nexus, but without decades' worth of enchantments, I cannot properly taste anything, nor truly feel the wind beneath my wings. I wish to become a black dragon once more, and rain terror upon those who see me." _The bone dragon's skull dipped as he reminisced about his existence before that unfortunate encounter with that warrior.

_**And just how do you plan to attain this degree of metamorphosis? Reversions like that are massively expensive.**_

"_Simple. Once you have done what you need to with the target's soul, I will give it to an officer as a negotiating tool with the Court. With the special properties that the target's soul has, it should be an easy case to win." _Mauraxus passed a plate of éclairs to Sirmyurin. _"What about you, mindbreaker?"_

"I…haven't really thought about it. I just want to see this through. I'll make plans for my free time later."

_**An admirable display of devotion, but do not become too focused on your work that you do not see the amusement value in it. With enough planning, a mission can be just as fun as time off.**_

"I guess so."

_**I know so.**_

The superior looked at the chessboard. There were now over thirty dull gray pieces moving at a steady rate toward the pony shaped figurines, the Talonbite piece at the front. At the edges of the board, on the table, roughly fifty clear blue pieces stood dormant, ready to be put into the game.

_**It's almost time for you to go, Sirmyurin. I know you will see this though to the end, and in doing so, aid Grimm's developments.**_

The white alicorn stood up and strode purposefully from the tea table, unfurling his burnt wings as he went. Sirmyurin closed his yellow cat eyes briefly, displaying the black markings around them, his sporadically spasming mane covering his face. Then the alicorn summoned a portal and stepped in, an insane, evil grin flitting across his face.

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><p>"<em>He's hiding something."<em>

_**Obviously. He is a good liar. However, one lie in particular has caught my attention.**_

"_Which one, my superior?"_

_**The one about him not having a heart. Hearts produce unwanted sentiment. Sentiment is dangerous.**_

"_Undoubtedly, but we can deal with that later. More tea?"_

_**Certainly. By the way, the intelligence that Sirmyurin gathered a few days ago has been transcribed. I understand that there exist a few very great and powerful souls, belonging to a 'Princess Celestia', a 'Princess Luna', and to various others. What do you make of that?**_

_"I think we should inform someone in authority."_

**_I think so too. I do not think this will be the last we see of this world._**

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><p>Far above the black marble monolith, Sirmyurin the white alicorn looked down on Twilight Sparkle and Veil, making their way valiantly toward the end. He flew on ahead of them. There was no point mulling over what could have been. Only the Court had the luxury of altering time, and Sirmyurin was just a regular operative.<p>

"Focus. Finish the job. That's all that matters."

At least, that's what he told himself.

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><p>Author's Notes<p>

I got nothing today. Sorry. I'll get working on the next chapter though.


	29. 27 Getting to Know You

27 Getting to Know You

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><p>I am flabbergasted by all you readers. Thank you all for leaving your reviews and opinions, and helping me reach 50 reviews. You all are awesome, and I value each of your comments.<p>

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><p>The peace and quiet was unnerving. The sound of Twilight and Veil's hooves hitting the black marble beneath was the only sound they heard, and even that got dampened when they came across puddles of gravity-defying water. Not that there was much water left now. Mostly ice now. Slippery, dark ice that blended in all too well with the dark stone beneath. Aside from the occasional glowing orb that would go flying past, there was almost no light, forcing Twilight to maintain a soft magenta glow from her horn. It helped, but she could do nothing to melt the unnatural sheets of frost.<p>

On and on they walked, keeping close to each other, only stopping to have a horribly cold drink of water from the occasional half-frozen fountain. As they proceeded on, the path grew narrower and narrower, spiraling upwards, dipping down, swerving left and right, evolving into stairways and landings, but never splitting or getting wider. When they had begun walking, the black marble beneath them had been wide enough for four ponies to walk on comfortably side by side. Now, Twilight and Veil were squeezing next to each other to fit. Any narrower, and they would have to walk in single file.

Neither pony said or did anything much until, far above them, there was a slight _swoosh_, like a winged creature had passed over. Twilight looked up sharply, charging up a spell, Veil following suit and unfolding her bracer blade at the same time. When nothing happened, Twilight and Veil gave an involuntary sigh.

"Nothing after all." Muttered Veil, snapping the rune-engraved blade into its slot.

"Yeah." Twilight said. "I'm kind of surprised. Sirmyurin said there would be lots of challenges, and that this wouldn't be easy. But we haven't seen a thing. It's kind of creepy."

Veil looked around, her yellow eyes illuminating the area a little. "I wonder if the others are having any luck finding that key."

"It is a little weird," Twilight whispered. "With all these overlapping and crossing paths, you'd think we would have run into some of the others by now."

The black marble passageways indeed looped and twisted around each other, but there was absolutely no sign that anything living existed, save for the glowing balls that occasionally flew near them.

In Twilight's mind, the sheer chaos of it all reminded the lavender unicorn uneasily of their encounter with the God of Chaos, Discord. The draconequus, wily and cunning, had split the Elements if Harmony up in a maze and slowly brainwashed them. Even now, Twilight shuddered to think of what Equestria would have been like if Discord had won.

"What's eating you, Twilight?" asked Veil, ruffling her feathers to try and keep warm. Twilight took the hint and re-cast her heating spell.

"Huh?" Twilight responded, realizing a bit too late that this wasn't perhaps the best way to demonstrate her extensive research into the field of speech sciences.

"You had this grimace on your face just now," explained Veil, edging closer to Twilight's horn, her breath coming out in great clouds.

"Oh. I was just thinking about how narrowly Equestria has come to disaster in the past. And how every time, it's been the power of friendship that's stopped evil from winning. But this time…I just don't know, Veil. I get the feeling that there's something bigger going on behind this whole 'game' that Sirmyurin and Mauraxus are playing."

"Oh." Veil said simply.

The two ponies, both now shivering rather violently, continued on the lonesome road.

"You know," remarked Veil softly. "I never did find out what Ponyville was like on a normal day. It must be nice." It was more of a tactic to forget about the cold than anything, but Twilight treated it like a real conversation starter.

"Well, it's not nearly as peaceful as you might imagine." The Element of Magic smiled as she thought of all the wacky adventures (and misadventures) the town had been involved in. "It's been stampeded on, invaded by the God of Chaos, half-eaten by parasprites, and almost trampled on by a giant dragon. And that's only a few of the things that have happened."

Veil's unnaturally yellow eyes widened. "That sounds…fun. Is it like that every day?"

"Oh, thank Celestia, no. stuff like that only happens about once a week, twice if we're unlucky."

"Oh." Veil looked a slight bit put out. "Then what do you do the rest of the time?"

Twilight worked on the best way to explain as they navigated around a particularly tricky corner. Once they were safely on a flat platform, Twilight began to describe Ponyville's routine to the best of her ability.

"Well, most of the time I study in the library, or I help my friends do their chores. Why, I remember one time, it was my first time, actually, the town was doing Winter Wrap Up, and I had no idea what to do." Twilight giggled, her cheeks reddening with memories of what a mess she'd made. "But it all worked out in the end, and now, Winter gets wrapped up on time every year. Then there's Nightmare Night. This year, Princess Luna came around…"

The small talk eventually grew into a full fledged buffet of wonderful visions and memories, which made the cold seem just a little easier to bear.

"Wow." Was all Veil could say when Twilight paused for a breath. "Ponyville sounds like paradise. I mean, since I don't remember what Cloudsdale was like, or…wherever I went after that, Ponyville looked so much better than this manor, and I bet if Mauraxus hadn't come along, you all would have proven me right."

"I want to thank you, Twilight."

Twilight gave her a puzzled look. "What for?"

"Coming into the manor to see me." The ebony pegasus said with a shy smile. "If you hadn't come, I suspect I would have died."

"It wasn't anything special." Said Twilight with a slight blush.

"But it is! I owe you my life."

"Veil, I…I'm sure you'd have done the same. After all, I know you're a kind soul, and wouldn't hurt anypony. I know you'll be able to do the right thing when the time comes."

Veil grinned. "I hope so too. I have to…got to make up for everything I've done." Her smile slipped at the end of her sentence.

Twilight put a hoof on Veil's cheek. "Forget about the things you've done wrong. When we get out of here, I'll show you around Ponyville, for real this time. No dracoliches or rogue alicorns or anything."

"None of those? Really?"

Twilight pulled her friend, tangled mane and all, into a rough embrace. "Not even a manticore could interfere with our plans. As long as we're together, our friendship will see us through."

Veil closed her eyes, breathing in the soft, sweet, slightly flowery scent of Twilight's mane. "I'd fight off a manticore for you, you know that?"

The lavender pony gave a nervous laugh. "I hope it doesn't come to that. Huh?"

The two ponies pulled away from each other at Twilight's exclamation.

This couldn't be possible. It defied all logic.

The platform on which they had been standing was gone. Instead, Veil and Twilight found themselves facing a tall wooden door, a much wider, flatter platform around them, adorned with black marble fountains. There was a small keyhole on the door, but it was hard to see due to it being excessively dark all around the doorframe.

They were at the door already? But they didn't have the key…

There was a _click_ from the right, then from the left. Twilight's horn began to shimmer with power, and Veil unfolded her weapon with a well-practiced flick of the leg, stretching her wings wide and baring the blades mounted on them.

"Who's there? Show yourself!" Twilight shouted into the gloom, her voice reverberating and echoing around her. She fired a bolt of magic at the door, illuminating the entire area with her power and throwing two figures starkly into the light.

Veil gasped.

"Mom? Dad?"

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><p>Author's Notes<p>

The plot thickens. No pun intended.

Oh dear, I'm awful.

Leave a review. More action coming soon. Maybe.


	30. 28 Downpour

28 Downpour

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><p>Anypony got a bad feeling about this chapter? I know I do, and I wrote it! Anyhow, thanks to everypony who read this far and left a review. And even if you didn't I, still thank you.<p>

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><p>"Mom? Dad?"<p>

Standing before Veil and Twilight were two older pegasi. The one on the right was a mare with a cream colored coat, amber-orange eyes, and a long green mane, curled at the ends. The one on the left, a tall stallion, had a shorter, dark blue and white-striped mane and grey eyes. His coat was a dusty shade of brown, and he had a slight five o'clock shadow around his mouth. Neither of them looked very friendly. Around each of the ponies' necks was a small, glimmering object, fastened with a thin, silver chain.

Veil galloped up to the mare, only to hit an invisible wall and fall flat on her back, wing guards clanging on the hard marble floor, the wet floor rippling slightly. She picked herself up, pressing her muzzle and front hooves against the barrier, staring hungrily at the ponies on the other side.

"Mom! Dad! It's me! It's me, Ve-…"Veil fell silent as she realized that she didn't even remember her own name, only a moniker given to her by the beings from her past. "…it's your daughter." She finished timidly. "Don't you recognize me? I'm back!"

The stallion didn't move. The mare slowly walked up to the barrier, taking what felt like ten minutes to reach the unseen wall, eventually coming face to face with Veil, who was pawing at the barrier between them, trying to break through. Veil and the cream colored mare stared into each other's eyes for a whole minute, Veil with her pleading, wide yellow eyes, the mare with her strangely uninterested, almost bored, amber-orange eyes.

Then the mare walked away, back to her previous position.

"Mom! Wait! It's me! Don't you remember me? _Wait!" _Veil turned to the stallion. "Dad, it's me! I'm alive! It's me, your daughter! I'm here! Don't…don't you recognize me?"

The stallion didn't move.

Twilight put a hoof on Veil's shoulder, who was still yelling to her parents. "Veil, calm down a moment and think-"

"Of what? It's my mom and dad, I'd know them anywhere! I'll just explain everything to them…"

Veil unfolded her bracer blade and, taking careful aim, clenched the claw on the end and thrust at the invisible wall with all her might.

The tip of the weapon met a slight resistance, then punched though the barrier, breaking through with a sound akin to a brick flying through a shop full of ceramic antiques. Shining shards of magical residue cascaded down, clinking and splashing in the shallow water around them. Veil galloped through the falling splinters at full speed, refolding her weapon as she went, only to slam into another invisible wall.

And still, Veil's parents made to move to help, or to even approach. They only watched, the expressions on their faces growing more and more grim, as though watching a dangerous animal on the loose.

Before Veil could shatter the second barrier, she found herself being levitated away by Twilight, whose magic was engulfing every bit of the black pegasus but her armored foreleg and wings. She struggled, but Twilight was determined to have her say.

"Veil! Stop and think!" Veil stopped thrashing around and looked at Twilight with an expression of desperation and annoyance. "Are these really your parents?"

"Yes! Now let me go!"

"But how is that possible? You told me that you knew they were…gone, and now they're here? It doesn't make any sense!"

"It doesn't have to make sense! They're here, that's all that matters!" and in a burst of blue sparks, Veil broke free of Twilight's telekinesis and proceeded to break through the second wall. Twilight was about to go after her friend, but was suddenly hit in the eye by something wet that stung slightly. Another drop of liquid fell from the ceiling. Twilight gave it a taste. It was…salt water? There was something wrong here…but she couldn't quite figure it out. Well, maybe Veil could ask her parents for help. Best if she left the three alone for now.

Veil, by now, had discovered a third magical force field and was driving her bracer blade into it, a tears of happiness forming in her eyes as she dashed at her father. She stretched out her front hooves to hug him, letting her wings carry her forward.

"Dad! I'm so sorry, I've missed you so-Ouch!"

Veil, for the second time that day, found herself flat on her back, except this time, it was because the stallion had reared up and hit her with his front hooves. Veil looked at her father in disbelief.

"Look, I know I probably worried you a lot, but-"

"Who are you, and why do you keep talking about my daughter?" the stallion growled, flapping his wings in an aggressive manner.

"Dad! I'm your daughter! It's me!" Veil approached the mare, who was watching with displeasure. "Mom! You remember me, don't you? We used to fly around Cloudsdale together!"

"How dare you," Veil's mother hissed. "How dare you act as though you are my daughter! My daughter died years ago, and you have the _nerve_ to act as though you are her? You two aren't even the same age! We aren't that stupid."

"Now, mom, I know this may be hard to understand," Veil began, "But I _am _your daughter. I survived the field trip, and now I'm coming home."

Twilight, who had been watching this unfold from a distance, suddenly noticed something. The small, shimmering objects around Veil's parents' necks were keys! Or more accurately, half a key. If both halves were inserted into the lock…

Twilight looked up as another drop of salty liquid hit her on the head.

For a second, she could have sworn she had seen a pair of yellow eyes, looking down on her.

* * *

><p>"If you're our daughter, why don't you tell us your name?" challenged Veil's father. "If you can't do that, then it's obvious you're a fake!"<p>

"But, but dad! I don't know-" Veil was silenced as her mother slapped her across the face.

"Don't you call him 'dad'. You have no right, no _reason_ to call him that! Only our _real_ daughter ever called him 'dad'. You, you're not worthy to wipe his hooves."

Veil's yellow eyes began to tear up, making her vision swim. Could she have changed so much that her own parents did not recognize her? Did she really look, sound, so different?

"_Mom, dad!_ Please, just look at me. Look into your hearts. Don't you remember the daughter that you loved so much?" She stretched her wings wide, giving her parents the warmest, most repentant smile she could muster.

"All I see, is a liar, a thief, and a killer." Her father spat. His words stuck Veil like a sledgehammer, dropping her to the ground.

How…?

"You…you know?" was all she could manage, beginning to cry.

"Know?" said her mother as she flew over. "We know about everything you did after you left us on that school trip of yours, not even considering how heartbroken we'd be! And after all you've done, do you think we'd acknowledge you as our daughter?"

"We know everything you did, and now, it's time you answered for it!"

Then it began to rain. Great, salty drops that stung Twilight and Veil's eyes when they hit, drenching them and intensifying the cold.

Veil's parents approached, each with thick length of chain in their mouths.

* * *

><p>Twilight decided enough was enough.<p>

"Hey!" she shouted, getting a mouthful of salty water in her mouth. She spat it out and yelled again. "Hey! Stop!" the mare and the stallion turned and looked at her.

"Can't we all just talk it over? I mean, I have no idea what you're talking about! Liar, thief? What's going on?"

Veil's mother flew at Twilight, attempting to hit her with the end of her chain. Twilight nimbly ducked out of the way and prepared to shoot a spell at the angry pegasus, only to get tackled to the ground by Veil. Her eyes were bloodshot and she looked confused and frightened, but her voice was firm.

"No. You can't hurt them! They've done nothing wrong!" she said, holding the lavender unicorn down.

Veil's father, seemingly untouched by the deluge, hovered over, chain draped over his back.

"So, you're a friend of this wretch?" he sneered. "Well, do you see this downpour, unicorn? Each drop is a teardrop, a final lamentation of a life ended by _her_ hoof! And you still stand with her? Villains, both of you!"

"You're lying!" Twilight burst out, slipping from under Veil. "Veil may not be perfect, but there's no way she'd kill anypony! She's scared of being killed herself!"

"Being afraid of death does not exempt you from delivering it to others," Veil's mother said, swinging her chain over her head, then tossing it at Veil, who was still crouched on the floor, seemingly in shock.

Twilight jumped in the way, pushing her stunned friend away, sending her skidding across the wet floor. The lavender unicorn was about to rise herself, but a salty drop of water hit her in the eye and blinded her, rendering Twilight helpless for a few seconds.

It was enough. As she blinked furiously, Twilight felt a hard, cold length of chain wrap around her hooves, sweeping her off her feet and rendering them immobile. Veil's mother approached from behind, wrapping her chain around Twilight's neck and beginning to constrict her breath. She tried and failed to cast a spell, to teleport, anything.

"Veil…help…" Twilight gasped, her sight beginning to fail. Veil looked back and forth at the two parties.

Family, or friends?

Veil gave a shout and threw herself at the three other ponies, extending all of her blades on the way. Twilight felt something cold and sharp slide over her flesh, heard the sound of metal hitting bone, and a sudden pain in her left back leg.

And then she was free, taking deep breaths and massaging her neck. She glanced over at where she had been, immediately wishing she hadn't.

Veil was standing over the bodies of Twilight's attackers, her wings and bracer drenched with blood, not only her own, but those of the two ponies lying at her hooves. The ebony pegasus was sobbing uncontrollably, slumping onto the corpses of her parents and howling in the salty rain.

"I'm so sorry…please forgive me…I didn't mean…why…I loved you..." she choked, her own tears mixing with the supernatural rain.

A glowing, marble sized orb of light dropped from high above the scene, pinging against the marble floor and coming to a rest at Twilight's front hooves.

* * *

><p>As Sirmyurin reentered the superior's chamber he was greeted with loud applause.<p>

_**Well done, Sirmyurin. Well done indeed! You certainly deserve the title 'mindbreaker'. **_

"_Yes. Rarely have I seen such a deep display of understanding of the target's mind." _rasped Mauraxus. "_I couldn't have done it better myself. Arranging the supposed demise of the target's parents, and by her own hand? Genius!"_

"It was nothing. I just needed to get it done. It's done." Sirmyurin sat down at the tea table and pulled a pitcher of iced tea toward himself with his mane, pouring himself a glass. "You can move in now, superior."

_**Thank you. You have both done superbly, and deserve a rest. I will handle things from here. I will make sure to send a progress report as soon as I can.**_

Mauraxus settled down next to the alicorn, who was drinking the iced tea with gusto.

"_You know, I must admit I thought you were giving in to sentiment a little earlier. I'm so glad to be proven wrong." _

"Mmph."

"_Well, I can see you're tired," _Mauraxus said breezily. "_I'll just let you rest in peace now."_ The dracolich gave a snorting laugh. _"Rest in peace. How appropriate."_

* * *

><p><em>Author's Notes.<em>

_It got worse. A lot worse._

_And it's not even over yet._

_Leave a review, and stand by for the final piece of the past. _


	31. 29 Echoes of the Past Part 4

29-Echoes of the Past Part 4

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><p>A great big thank you to The Random 1, the Tormentor, EpicSmiley12, ChrnoKeeper, and Amazed for your wonderful comments. It's readers like you that push me to make this as good as I can make it.<p>

It's only going to get worse for them, dear readers. Brace yourselves for the final piece of the past.

* * *

><p>Veil cried for hours. She lay on the hard floor, wailing and sobbing, over the bodies of the two ponies, murmuring choked apologies and other unintelligible words. Even when Twilight gently pulled her away, she kept weeping, wetting the lavender unicorn's shoulder with tears of sorrow. Twilight used a spell to clear up the blood the best she could, but was unable to clean Veil's wing guards and bracer, the armor resisting her magic as usual. Veil made no effort to stay standing, sinking to the soaked floor in a state of silent misery, tears coursing down her cheeks.<p>

Twilight honestly didn't know what to say. Veil had, by all means, just made the ultimate sacrifice, and had chosen her friend over her parents. And it was breaking her heart, her unrequited love pouring from the ebony pegasus's eyes.

"_Oh, Twilight…"_ Veil squeaked once she had calmed down enough to speak without hiccoughing. "I didn't mean to…_I had to do it...but-but…WHAT DID I DO TO DESERVE THIS?" _Veil howled, her snarled black mane falling over her grieving face.

Twilight hugged her friend tight, wordlessly running a hoof through that tangled mane of hers, half wishing that they had never accepted Sirmyurin's challenge, half wishing that the alicorn was right there so she could zap him with a spell. The entire encounter had been planned, she was sure of it. Losing Applejack had been cruel, but this? Forcing a mare to slay her own parents in self-defense? What kind of pony would do this to another?

"Twi…" Veil whispered, sniffling. "I can't go on…not after this…you must hate me…I'm a murderer..."

"Veil." Twilight said solemnly. "You just rescued me. How could I hate you? If anything, I'm in your debt."

"But mom…dad…they hated me. They rejected me. Why…?" Veil's yellow eyes overflowed with tears, the crystalline drops running down her chin and making little ripples in the shallow water around them.

"Veil." Twilight said again. If she didn't do something soon, the ebony pegasus would become too mired in her grief to keep going, and then Sirmyurin and Mauraxus would just come and sweep them both away. "It wasn't your fault."

"Yes it was! I…I killed them. I didn't mean to, but it all happened so _fast_, and I couldn't stop in time, and if I'd just-"

"Veil. This is not your fault. It's Sirmyurin and Mauraxus's fault. They made you do it, not you."

"But-"

"No buts!" Twilight said adamantly. "I'm getting sick of this game, and now, it's personal. We are going to win, and kick that evil alicorn's flank! Now, let's go."

Twilight, hoping that she had sounded as inspirational as she had felt, gingerly walked over to the two corpses and, using her magic, retrieved both halves of the key. They fit together snugly, clicking into a whole key just the right size for the lock on the door. The lavender unicorn felt something brush her shoulder. She turned around, looking straight into the watery but renewed yellow eyes of her wayward friend. The two ponies shared a smile, their friendship blazing between them.

Veil gave Twilight a passionate, heartfelt hug, arranging her right foreleg in a manner that didn't leave blood on the unicorn's back. In that instant, the horrors of the manor, of everything that had happened, seemed to vanish, dwarfed by the sheer amount of friendship and understanding that only such difficult ordeals could forge.

When they pulled away from each other after what felt like an eternity, both mares' faces were set in grim determination. Twilight levitated the key into the lock and turned it.

The door swung open with a smooth, oiled _click_.

* * *

><p>Then the voice came. Not the smooth, suave voice of Sirmyurin, nor the raspy, reptilian voice of Mauraxus. It was the reverberating, piercing voice of something much greater that Veil knew internally was the superior.<p>

_**Before you proceed, you must view the final memory. Your prize is close. I await you, Veil.**_

Both ponies looked around for the source of the voice, but it seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere all at once.

Eventually, Veil's eyes fell on the small ball of light that had rolled to Twilight's hooves after the fight. It lay next to the open door, gently shedding a soft yellow glow over the area. The black pegasus reached over and picked it up hesitantly, the orb illuminating her clawed bracer.

Twilight looked at her expectantly. Veil looked back, but inside her was a raging argument. What if this memory showed something she had done in the past? There were some things, if Twilight knew, it was unlikely that she'd be so understanding with. She couldn't risk it.

But then Veil looked over and met Twilight's beautiful, compassionate eyes. Eyes that said, _'no matter what, I'll stand by you_'.

The black pegasus placed the orb on the floor, and, with thoughts of Twilight in mind, brought her armored hoof down and smashed it.

The world, corpses and all, began to fade into a white haze…

* * *

><p><em>Veil, Sirmyurin, Mauraxus, and two other shadowy beings, one with a horriblly familiar white grin, were standing in a room with wood panel walls and a round wooden table in the center. They appeared to be waiting for someone. <em>

_A swirling yellow vortex opened in the air, allowing four figures to emerge. They all wore trench coats of blackest night, armored gauntlets, clawed boots, and dark gray helmets in the likeness of a dragon's head. Enormous bat like wings trailed behind them, and at roughly waist level, each of them had two tendrils of black fabric that had long, serrated blades attached to the end, like stinger tails. Their eyes glowed yellow within their helms. Each had a different symbol sewn on their upper sleeves with gold thread._

_Both parties bowed to each other, then took seats at the table without exchanging words. A golden tea seat materialized with a wave of one of the dragon helmeted beings. He stood up and began pouring tea while another one pulled some papers and chunks of shiny crystal from inside its coat, placing them on the table. _

"_Now," it said once its fellow had finished passing out the teacups. "Let's get straight to the point here." It had a suave voice that sounded neither male nor female. "We have reports of increased corrupt activity from this location." It pointed to a sheet of paper with a nonsensical looking diagram on it. Runes and other symbols of the arcane plastered it, but many of them were red in color. _

"_After much work, we have localized the source. It is coming from this world, this planet in particular."_

_One of the larger chucks of crystal lit up and projected a three dimensional representation of a round ball, mostly gray with patches of blue on it. _

_They were looking at another world. The projection rotated slowly, lighting the room up with an ambient blue glow. A third member of the trench coat team pointed at the globe and picked up the speech as it gestured. _

"_The fact is many worlds are being affected by this one. The residents have advanced enough for them to begin to alter the face of reality, to use magic and technology in tandem. Similar to what we do, but on a much, much smaller scale."_

_The globe's surface began to turn red, then it shrank as every other crystal on the table glowed and projected a massively complex three dimensional chart or map of some sort. Veil and her associates all nodded as they murmured amongst themselves and pointed to various points in the map. Red lines spread out from the original world, touching other tiny spheres and turning them red too. _

"_We did an extensive sweep of this world and compiled a colossal amount of evidence against their existence. We have taken this matter up with the Court, and they are indifferent to what we plan to do, however, Court member Razioth has generously informed the Grand Master."_

_The fourth member of the trench coated squad stood and made an odd gesture. The map returned to only showing the world of gray and blue. Glowing azure squares began popping up and displaying buildings, tall and gray with lit up lines and tiny dots of creatures moving amongst them. They looked so small and insignificant from so high up._

"_The Court has relayed that the Grand Master has allowed the use of the weapon known as Fyren's Inferno to cleanse this blight on the face of reality from existence."_

_The being sat down again, its coat rustling against its large membranous wings. The being raised its teacup to the front of its draconic helmet and tipped the cup back, the liquid transforming into a flow of blue sparks as it drank that were absorbed into the helm. _

"_We meet with you this day because your outfit did a recent retrieval job on this world. Is that not correct?"_

"_That's right. We brought back the inhibition records, as instructed. It wasn't easy. They rather dislike foreigners there," Sirmyurin remarked._

_The first dragon helmed being's eyes flashed. "Good. So, our dilemma is this: We could order the use of Fyren's Inferno on this world, and burn it to ash." _

_Most of the beings in the room made a gesture of assent._

_Veil nudged Mauraxus. "What exactly is Fyren's Inferno?" she whispered._

_Mauraxus glanced at her. "Fyren's Inferno is the result of over three hundred thousand of your years' worth of dragonfire, continuously breathed into a pocket dimension with the use of a Gate, a portal. This dragonfire has been raging there ever since, and when the moment is appropriate, an operative with the right authority can open a Gate directly to that dimension, letting the flames come roaring out. It is unstoppable by most means, and magical enough to pass through physical barriers as well as burn without oxygen. It's one of the more minor weapons the Grand Master has locked away."_

"_Oh. Will that be enough to take care of this?" Veil whispered back. _

"_More than enough. It was last used in the uprising on *****." Mauraxus made a series of guttural sounds, supposedly the name of a geographical location. "Every last one of the enemy was wiped out, the ground turned to molten stone, and the entire region declared barren and unusable. All after three seconds of Fyren's Inferno channeled through a Gate the size of a small moon. So yes, it should be good enough to take care of this."_

_The rest of the occupants of the room waited patiently for then two to finish their conversation before they turned their attention to the final sheet of paper on the table. _

"_The solution to the Court's indecision is simple. We will take your opinions, simple and unbiased, and show them to the Court. All you have to do is check a box on this sheet. In short, all it says is "Yes, I think this world is worth observing a bit longer," or "No, I think it's a threat to existence and should be purged,". Either way, it's all for the best. Keep that in mind when you decide; will it be us or them?"_

_Without any further ado, each of Veil's team took a sheet and filled it out with a quick burst of blue sparks. Veil looked more and more uncomfortable as she read through the contents, but filled it out all the same, not wanting to seem indecisive. Once all the papers were safely stashed in the fourth being's trench coat, they stood up and bowed, causing the tea set to vanish. Both parties left the room, yellow gates appearing to greet them both._

* * *

><p><em>Veil was talking to Sirmyurin again. They were both in a small coffee shop with a view of a beautiful fountain that was gushing purple bubbling liquid. It smelled like grapes.<em>

"_Well, I voted to keep the world going a bit longer," the alicorn was saying. "I know Mauraxus elected to burn the place to ash, but that may just be because he's a dracolich and has an affinity for dragonfire. What did you want them to do?"_

_Veil shuffled her hooves and stared at the teacup in front of her face. "What did the rest of us vote for?" she asked, evading the question. _

_Sirmyurin didn't seem to mind. "Our superior wanted to keep the world going, and the last vote I think went to destroying the world, because that one destroys everything." The alicorn's face softened into an expression of sympathy. "If you don't want to tell me, it's fine. I won't force you to tell me."_

"_Thanks." Veil said quietly. _

"_I need to get going now. I have an appointment with a potential client soon, and I have to prepare."_

_Veil waved him goodbye halfheartedly. She pushed her tea away; she no longer felt thirsty. Rather, her mind raged with problems about the questionnaire she had filled out._

_So what if the occupants of that world were using magic and technology? Who were they to decide the fate of another world? Who were they to say if the inhabitants got sent to the Void Nexus or not?_

* * *

><p><em>Sirmyurin passed Mauraxus on the street outside. The cobblestones gleamed with fresh rain, and beings of varying appearances were hurrying around, going about their business. <em>

"_Did you hear?" The dracolich said animatedly, its wings keeping it off the floor. "That world we were asked about, the Court has come to a decision!"_

"_Oh? That was fast. What is it?"_

"_They're incinerating it! I can't wait. What's say we go to the nearest interdimensional observatory and see it happen? We've got until three hours later. I think the vote was three to two. I can get us the best places to watch from, what do you say?"_

"_I can't, I'm afraid. I'd love to go, but I have a potential client to see to."_

_Mauraxus nodded understandingly. "Good luck with that. I'll ask Veil if she wants to come. I like to have someone to talk to when watching this sort of thing. You know, have a few laughs."_

_Sirmyurin smiled as a portal greeted his front hooves. "I'm sure she'd like that. After all, it was her vote that made the difference."_

"_Oh, really? I thought for sure…" _

"_I know. I didn't think she had it in her. I'll see you later."_

"_And you too. I'll see if I can't get a memory record or something for you to see."_

"_Thank you, Mauraxus. You're too kind."_

_Mauraxus watched until the yellow light was completely gone, then set off to find Veil. He hummed as he flew, anticipating the glorious spectacle they would soon be feasting their eyes upon._

_Or in his case, eye sockets._

* * *

><p><em>Veil chewed on a biscuit, listening to the exchange between her two teammates just outside the window. <em>

_She felt sick to her stomach. _

_All for the best._

_Right?_

_Veil paid her bill and left the shop through the back door, leaving a slightly disappointed dracolich in her wake._

* * *

><p><em>Author's Notes<em>

_Possibly the most dastardly thing we've seen Veil do yet. Oh well. Can't be helped._

_Leave a review…their friendship depends on it!_


	32. 30 The Final Ascent

30-The Final Ascent

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><p>Well, against all expectations, we have reached the 30 chapter milestone. To each and every one of my readers, you have my deepest appreciation for motivating me to get this far. Without your reviews, I doubt I'd have gotten past chapter 10. Thank you, and I hope you enjoy this chapter.<p>

* * *

><p>The superior's dark hand moved over his chessboard, watching, planning. Everything had been going quite well, and although it would have been nice to be able to harvest six extra souls for the Grand Master, the target's soul was what they had been dispatched to retrieve. And now, with a few final moves, the soul would be theirs.<p>

The superior smiled humorlessly, its pointed white teeth reflecting the dim blue light of the chamber. It was surprising, really. The target still hadn't tried accessing her full potential, despite the obvious pointers that had been left for her. Not that that was a problem, rather, it would make the retrieval so much easier.

The superior moved a piece on the board then went to listen to Mauraxus and Sirmyurin, who were talking to pass the time.

"…_so then the client said, 'here's your pay', and then I said 'that's not the full pay.', but left her anyway. But the joke's on her; get this: when I departed, I left a high explosive under her bed." _

The dracolich and the alicorn roared with laughter. "Mauraxus, you are positively treacherous in your dealings. No wonder you don't ever have a problem with loose ends."

"_Well, I do try to keep it so that clients want to hire our services more than once, but more often than not, they don't have the finances to pay for it, and are unwilling to give up their souls. So I make sure the client pays in full, whether willingly or not."_

_**That is indeed a good policy. Perhaps we can view the memory records of that encounter after we return. **_

"_Oh, I didn't realize you were listening, superior. Well, it _was_ rather funny. One moment, the client was lying down, getting ready to sleep, the next moment, BANG, body bits go flying everywhere, and we have ourselves a new soul."_

"That'll teach her to try and cheat her way out of a contract." Sirmyurin remarked, sneaking a piece of jam tart that was just within reach.

"_Was that the last slice of-" _Mauraxus said, his spines bristling. The superior butted in before the discussion devolved into another tea-related dialogue.

_**Indeed. Speaking of contracts, it is almost time to close this one. Once the mark arrives, I want you both to be on your best behavior, at least initially. After all, we want to make a good impression on the Court. **_

Sirmyurin swallowed the last of the tart, ignoring the glare the dracolich was shooting him. "But what if the target doesn't respond properly? What then?"

Mauraxus grinned and answered. "_Then we take the matter into our own hands and extract the soul, taking it back and finishing the revival back at home." _The dracolich took to the air in excitement, magical sparked keeping his skeletal frame aloft. "_Then, when Grimm is finished, I will use the target's soul to negotiate my own revitalization. It's the perfect plan."_

Sirmyurin nodded, but said nothing.

_**What's the matter, mindbreaker? Still tired? It's almost over, so don't worry about exerting yourself too much.**_

"It's just…" the alicorn muttered, trying to put his feelings into words. "Can I see to the target's soul after you are both done with it? I'd like to run some…tests."

The superior and Mauraxus looked at each other.

"_Well, actually…"_

_**I do not think that will be possible. Once a soul is given to the Court, it is theirs for eternity. Not even an officer could ask for it back. And if Mauraxus trades it in for a new body…**_

"_Then we'll never have to worry about it again. Besides, if this all goes well, we'll have the Court's favor, remember? We can have some degree of influence in their dealings. That's worth the sacrifice of one soul, surely."_

Sirmyurin shrugged, his black mane twitching over his back. "I guess it is."

_**Good. I hear Grimm has some kind of especially secret plan for us once we return, so we should hurry and wrap this up. Once the mark is separated from the local corruption, we can begin the revival process.**_

All three beings nodded to each other and went back to their posts, two of them eagerly anticipating the end of the mission.

Sirmyurin slumped down onto a pile of cushions, propped his head under his front hooves and began to think.

* * *

><p>Twilight could not believe what she had just seen. She couldn't, shouldn't, <em>wouldn't<em> believe it! The Veil she knew would not allow a world to be burned to ashes, there was just no way that could happen! This was nothing more than a poorly-planned attempt to sabotage their friendship.

So why was her friend pawing the ground with that guilty look on her face?

Surely...no...

"Veil…?" Twilight said warily.

Veil made a noise that sounded like a bird being trodden on.

"Veil? What's the matter?"

Veil's mouth quivered, her lips scrunching together in a rather horrified manner. Twilight placed leaned down and angled her head up, looking her friend in the eye.

"That wasn't real, right? You didn't do that, right?"

Still Veil did not respond, her silence slowly confirming Twilight's doubts.

"You didn't really let that world burn, right?"

"Twi…"

"But you didn't do it, right? Tell me you didn't." Twilight said, becoming more and more desperate to make sure she was right.

"I…" Veil tried, but found herself unable to say anything. The memory was too much. She could recall that day, when she had picked up that pen and sealed the fate of a world she had only seen a glimpse of. It was an event which had haunted her dreams for weeks afterward, and had only stopped after copious visits to the guilt counselor. It was, undoubtedly, one of Veil's darkest moments, and to this day, she had no idea why she'd done it.

And now Twilight, her best friend in the world, knew all about it. She began to tear up, expecting to feel a blow to the face, or to hear the unicorn's hooves running away.

Instead, Veil felt Twilight's hooves on her own, holding them lovingly, not a hint of anger in her grip. Veil raised her yellow eyes and stared into her friend's purple ones, seeing the faith in them.

"Veil. Tell me the truth. I promise I won't be angry. Did you really do that?" Twilight coaxed, putting as much effort into sounding as gentle as she could.

Veil wanted to tell her friend no, no she had not really done that. But if she lied, and Twilight found out later, there would be no telling what would happen.

"Yes!" Veil gasped, tears running down her mortified face. "Yes, I did! I'm a guilty, horrible pony! I don't even know why I did it! But yes, yes it's all true! I caused the end of a world!"

Twilight had been suspecting something like this, but still hearing it from Veil in person was…shocking. The lavender unicorn was tempted to say something harsh, but just seeing Veil's thin, tormented frame snuffed those thoughts out instantly.

"Veil, look at me." Twilight murmured. The ebony pegasus shakily looked up. "I know you're a good pony at heart. Even if you did some bad things, a real friend forgives and forgets. There's nothing you can do about the past. I'm your friend, Veil, and I love you for who you are, even the flaws. Just…after this is all over, I want a full explanation for everything. Okay?"

"Okay." Veil whispered. "Thank you. I thought you were going to leave me."

"What are friends for? We stand up for each other." Twilight gave Veil a friendly pat on the back, her hoof brushing the lexicon that was stowed between her wings. "Now, let's keep going, and win this evil game."

The two friends smiled at one another and made for the open door. They were almost there. Just a little bit further.

There was no warning.

There wasn't even a roar.

One moment, Veil had been at Twilight's side, then next moment, Talonbite had come flying out of thin air, grabbing the pegasus and flinging her against the wall with his front claws. The dull gray monster snarled, its fiery orange eyes glittering, the blue light throwing hideous jagged shadows over its face. Dried blood stained the area around its mouth, and Twilight saw with a pang that there was a brown shred of fabric speared on the end of its tail that the unicorn recognized as a fragment of Applejack's hat.

So the monster had gotten to Applejack after all, thought Twilight, her heart aching. And now it was here to make sure they didn't win.

_Friends stand up for each other._ And suddenly, Twilight knew what had to be done.

"Hey! Ugly! Over here!" She shouted, hoping to draw Talonbite's attention. The gray beast didn't seem to care, slashing at Veil with a razor-sharp claw, the pegasus barely parrying it with her bracer blade.

Twilight shot a pulse of magic at Talonbite. _That_ got its attention. Talonbite whipped around with such speed that Twilight had no time to get ready before she found herself pinned under the monster's crushing weight.

"Veil…" the lavender pony squeezed out. "Go…finish this…" she fired a spell into Talonbite's face, but that only made it angrier. Sparks began to fizzle around its maw, making Twilight's mane stand up.

"No! I'm not leaving you!" Veil chopped at Talonbite's tail, but her weapon rebounded with a dull _clang_. The tail wasn't even scratched.

"Veil! You've got to go! Don't worry about me! Go and get your memory back! Hnng!" Talonbite had screamed, a dreadful, keening shriek that made both ponies' ears ring and throb.

Veil galloped up to Talonbite's face and hit it full on with a burst of blue sparks. There was a crackling noise, and Talonbite leapt off Twilight and sprang at Veil, front claws outstretched and eyes glowing like wildfire. The ebony pegasus rolled away, but not before taking a deep scratch in the back. Her lexicon was knocked off her back, landing across the room, but Veil didn't care at the moment.

Talonbite face Veil squarely, opening its mouth wide. A ball of energy grew between the rows of gray teeth, getting brighter and brighter until it shot out and whizzed at its target, tearing up the floor as it went.

Veil closed her eyes. There was no way she could get out of the way in time. It was all over.

Then Veil found herself being pulled out of the way by a mysterious force. She opened her eyes in amazement. Twilight had used her telekinesis and was levitating her out of harm's way, the ball of energy exploding against a stairway and sending shards of black stone everywhere. Twilight gritted her teeth in concentration and tossed Veil as gently as she could into the doorway.

"Go! I'll take care of this!" the unicorn shouted as Talonbite wheeled around to face her.

"Twilight! No! I won't leave you!"

"You've got to." Twilight said ever so softly.

Talonbite screamed, cracking the floor with its fury, and sprang at Twilight, a ball of light expanding in its jaws. Twilight prepared to use one last spell, her horn shining with a magenta glow.

Then the lavender unicorn fired the strongest locking spell she knew at the door, which slammed shut in response.

With no time to prepare a second incantation, Twilight Sparkle could only look straight into Talonbite's rapidly approaching orange eyes, a tired smile upon her face.

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><p>Author's Notes<p>

Probably the most heart-pounding moment in this story yet.

Leave a review, and be careful when dealing with dracoliches.


	33. 31 Awakening

31- Awakening

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><p>Aw, you guys are so sweet, having such faith in the power of friendship. I know that even though you might think you are the only ones enjoying this, I love writing this story, and I love reading your reviews.<p>

Dear Celestia, that sounded cliched.

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><p>The door shut right as Veil threw herself back at Talonbite, the impact jarring her head and making the world spin around her. Once her eyes stopped spinning, Veil began to slash and stab with all her might at the wooden door, but her weapon struck some kind of magenta aura, and wouldn't pierce through. On the other side, Veil could hear Talonbite roaring, and the pattering of hooves. Then there was a series of explosions, each smaller than the last, then finally silence.<p>

So. This was how it all ended. Not facing the superior and his two subordinates with her friends as an unbeatable team, but with Veil all alone, with wounds in her back and foreleg, soaking wet and cold, not at all ready to face whatever the superior had in store for her.

Veil examined the room she had been thrown in. It was very narrow, with bright blue torches in scones on the wall, spaced about two meters apart, revealing a steep stairway that led up and up into the dark. Just how big was the interior of this manor? The huge marble maze had already been bigger than her entire flight academy, and now there was _more_ to this?

Veil momentarily considered continuing to try the door, but although the magenta glow had faded, the handle was still stuck fast. Someone might as well have coated the frame with superglue. The superior, or one of the others, must have locked it. Well, that was a mixed blessing. Talonbite wasn't going to be getting through, but there was no way for Veil to know if Twilight was alive or not.

A breath of wind tickled Veil's neck, making the wound on her back sting. She could feel warm blood trickling down her side, dripping off her underside onto the waterlogged floor and making little ripples.

Veil cast a final look at the sealed door, but with no plan in her mind, there was nothing to do as Twilight asked and keep going.

"Oh, Twilight…it should have been me…why did you do it?" she murmured as her front hooves touched the first step. Veil replayed those fateful moments, just before they had been separated by a mere two inches of wood. Twilight had been…smiling. Somehow, Veil knew what she had been thinking, and it brought tears to her eyes.

_I'm your friend, Veil, and I love you for who you are, even the flaws. Friends look out for each other, and I know you'll do the right thing when it matters._

Veil shed a single tear, the tiny droplet carrying all her love, all her sorrows.

"Twilight…thank you…for everything."

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><p>As Veil climbed the steps, she noticed that the torches became brighter and more closely spaced. More than once, she thought she heard a voice coming from behind, but when Veil turned to look, there was nopony, no being there.<p>

The hairs on Veil's neck began to stand up. There was something coming from the top of the stairs. Something that she had hoped never to hear again.

The music box. The horrible, demoralizing tune was drifting from far ahead of her, drowning her willpower, crushing Veil's determination.

Veil pressed her ears against her head. It helped, a little. She kept walking, hurrying to reach the top.

…**CoURt…**

Veil jumped, looking wildly around. The voice had come out of nowhere, whispering in her ear even though they were plastered flat against her skull. It had been a new voice, completely unlike the superior's, Mauraxus's, or Sirmyurin's.

It was, by all means, the most frightening thing Veil had heard, making even the demented music box sound comforting in comparison.

The ebony pegasus glanced around furtively, unfolding her bracer blade as she sneaked quick looks around herself. With the torches lit, there weren't a whole lot of places to hide, so after sending a pulse of blue sparks down the dark stairway, Veil frowned and began to canter up the stairs, her hooves clacking on the marble below.

…**MasTEr…REtUrN…**

There it was again. Veil did not stop, turning her canter into a gallop, rushing toward the top, her mane and tail billowing out behind her. Every other step, her bracer would click against the floor, the sound echoing around her. Veil didn't care. All she wanted to do was get away from that voice, the voice that carried more authority than even the superior's did.

…**SOuL…vOid…NEXuS…**

Veil ran faster, unfolding her wings mid stride and taking flight, powerful flaps propelling her forward.

…**i…pIEces…mInE…youRs…**

There. Up ahead. A wooden door, identical to the one down at the foot of the stairs, only these doors were open slightly.

She was almost there. Veil was past caring what Sirmyurin and the others had in store for her. Anything, _anything_ was better than that hideous, malignant voice that seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere at once.

The door was just five meters away now. Veil willed herself to fly faster, her wing muscles aching with the effort.

…**I…aM…ReVIVe…AT…LaSt…**

"_Get away from me!"_ Veil shrieked in terror, barreling through the door and landing with a splash in a pool of icy cold water. She swam up to the surface, water pouring from her ears, mouth, and nostrils. The pegasus painstakingly pulled herself out of the pool, the icy liquid making the wounds in her back and foreleg sting terribly. She hoped the lexicon was waterproof.

The lexicon!

Veil couldn't feel its weight on her back anymore! Did she drop it in the pool? No…Talonbite. When the gray stalking beast had attacked, her lexicon had been knocked off her back and out of her reach. And when Twilight had locked the door, she had locked the lexicon away as well.

Veil knew the lexicon was a good source of information, but it also carried a lot of pain and sorrow with it. In a way, she was happy it was gone. It was a load off her back, figuratively and literally.

But above all else, that voice was gone. Veil suddenly felt rather tired, the back half of her body slipping into the pool once more. Had a strong, armored hand not grabbed her and hauled her out, Veil might have drowned right there and then.

As it was, Veil lived a while longer, at least long enough to scream as her eyes beheld the massive, armored creature that was holding her hoof.

_"AHHHHH!"_

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><p>"Mauraxus, I thought we agreed, no more Doomknights." Sirmyurin said testily.<p>

"_What? It's a greeter, not here for combat at all." _

"Then please explain why it has a rail cannon mounted on its shoulder."

"_Purely aesthetic. It's not even loaded."_

"And the Eternity Blade at its side?"

"_Ornamental, nothing more."_

Mauraxus's Doomknight hauled Veil up to a raised circular platform in the middle of the massive room that they were all in. Sirmyurin and Mauraxus were sitting at a tea table, watching the warrior of darkness deposit the limp pony onto the dias. The superior was positioned behind its chessboard, which was now looking a little emptier than before. The Doomknight dropped Veil's body on the platform and returned to its post at Mauraxus's side, the spikes on its pauldrons and helmet glinting in the dim blue light. The chamber itself consisted of a narrow walkway between two shoulder-height pools of frigid water, leading up to a raised platform upon which was placed the superior's chessboard, the tea table, and a pile of cushions. The round podium upon which Veil was now lying stood in the exact center of the walkway. She seemed to have passed out.

There was a moment of awkward silence.

"Well, we can't do anything until she wakes up. So, does anybody have anything to talk about while we wait?" Sirmyurin asked.

"_I do. Listen to this one…"_

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><p>Veil came back to consciousness slowly, her vision rimmed with a blurriness that cleared up with a few blinks. She could hear a raspy, reptilian voice talking.<p>

"…_and then I smote his body down on the cliffs and crushed his skull with a gravity spell."_

There were peals of laughter, as though someone was listening who truly found that funny. In the background, the music box's tune was playing, but now, it seemed to fill Veil with a strange sense of nostalgia, rather than despair.

Veil groaned and got up slowly, her injuries announcing their displeasure with small waves of pain. The laughter quickly stopped.

"Shh. I think she's waking up."

_**Positions, everyone.**_

Veil turned to see who was talking, only to see the two being whom she hated the most. There, standing tall and proud, was the dracolich Mauraxus, who had first started this insane game in the first place, and at his side was the twisted alicorn Sirmyurin, a teacup in his mane's grip. And on the right, hunched over what looked like a massive chessboard, was a dark, winged, grinning creature that could only be the superior. The superior's teeth parted, and it began to speak in its signature piercing, resonating tone.

_**We, the three Gigas under Officer Grimm's employ, welcome you, Veil to the final chamber. You have overcome great difficulties and challenges to reach this point, and, rest assured, your role is almost done. **_

_**But before you hear any more, I don't believe we've been properly introduced since you left us. In case you do not remember, I am Faedran, superior of our little outfit. I have been tasked with the important role of assuring your return, and I must say it has gone wonderfully. You have passed almost every test, and have not let sentiment slow you down. I dare say that you are almost qualified to be accepted back into the Grand Master's ranks.**_

_**But, before you are allowed the prestige of rejoining us, I must ask of you…**_

Faedran raised a clawed hand. The water on both sides of the walkway began to froth and boil. Hundreds of glowing orbs began to fly out from a yellow portal and dip into the water, submerging themselves. Then, out of the water arose legions of clear blue phantasms, all made of ice, a solid wall of spikes and claws that was slowly advancing on the black pony from all mist poured from their bodies, arms elongating into talons, blades, and spears. Veil took a step back, but there were ice monsters advancing from behind too. She unfolded her bracer blade and her wing guards, ignoring the pain and preparing herself for the inevitable onslaught. Mauraxus unfurled his wings, summoning a glimmering barrier between the combatants and the three Gigas.

…_**accept this final challenge. Prove yourself worthy of being the harbinger of the Court.**_

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><p>Veil ducked under her first opponent's swing, slashing under its sweep with her own blade and shattering the frozen body, then bucked her hind legs out, cracking a second icy minion's face. Veil took to the air, sending bursts of blue sparks into her foes. Veil's quick fighting and flying maneuvers claimed dozens of her opponents, but with every ice monster she felled, another two would rise from the water and take their place. And although Veil's evasions were stunningly nimble, eventually she began to accumulate injures. At first it was nothing major. A bruise on her side, a small cut on the back of a leg. But then she had taken a flying icicle spear to the ankle, hobbling her and making walking a pain. A wayward ice dart took off some of her flight primaries, forcing Veil to flap harder just to remain out of reach. A stream of frozen air had iced her eyelids shut, costing her precious seconds to unstick them, during which her wild flailing had caused her hooves to become stuck to the frozen floor. Her mane kept falling into her face, obscuring her view.<p>

And still the ice phantoms kept coming. There was no end to them, no end to the assault. Veil's heart began to despair. Was she to die here, fighting against impossible odds for that which she cared for the most? Was Twilight to have died in vain, giving her life for her friend just for it to all be over because she, Veil, could not stand against a single frozen legion?

Twilight's smiling face burst into Veil's thoughts.

"No…" she said, feeling the fury building up inside, rising up and filling her with strength, just like in the clearing when she had done battle against the red-eyed specter. "I won't let it all be for nothing…_I WILL WIN!_" Veil screamed as loudly as she could, putting all her energy into that shout, into one final attack.

There was a sudden discharge of light, pure yellow light that expanded out like a sphere from Veil's bracer, enveloping everything in the room, save for Mauraxus's barrier and those behind it.

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><p>…<strong>I…LiVe…aGAiN…<strong>

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><p>Author's Notes<p>

Anyone else think the Gigas are kind of charming in their own, twisted way?

Anyway, leave a review. The truth is close.


	34. 32 Darkside

32 Darkside

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><p>The darkest chapter in this tale. Readers, you have stuck by Veil until now. Finally, you will know the truth.<p>

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><p>As the burst of light faded, Veil fell to the floor, all strength in her limbs completely drained. She could barely hear the three beings in behind the barrier conversing.<p>

"Impressive." Said Sirmyurin. "She actually defeated them all."

All around Veil was nothing but calm, icy water once more. Glowing orbs rose from the pools, returning to Faedran's side.

_**Such is the power of the Court. I am amazed she didn't try to use it earlier.**_

"I know. I even left a note explaining everything. She must have read it, because it wasn't on the armor when I took it."

Mauraxus, who kept the barrier up, chimed in. "_Speaking of the armor, is it not time to finalize the revival? We are so close."_

_**Indeed.**_

Veil watched with dismay as a four-legged creature walked slowly into view. As it came into the light, Veil's yellow eyes widened in surprise and mild dread.

Her armor. Her black, flanged, segmented armor, in which she had killed hundreds, stood before her, red light glowing in the eye holes of the mask. Veil felt a perverse connection to the metal aberration in front of her. Both of them had done the same missions, they had been inseparable from the day they had met. Veil had used her armor for death and destruction, but had also used it to help her friends. The parts Veil was wearing, the wing guards and right bracer, were missing from the set in front of her, the absent components replaced with shadowy facsimiles.

But if she wasn't wearing it, then who was?

As if in response, the face plate of the helmet clanged up suddenly, revealing…

Nothing.

_**Ah. Veil. You came here seeking your past. How ironic, that I give you a future. Do you know the details behind your recruitment? **_

The ebony pegasus propped herself up with her wing, eventually finding the strength to stand. She couldn't believe that he had wiped out all those ice soldiers. What surprised Veil even more was how good it had felt, destroying them all in a single burst of energy. It had made her feel powerful. Faedran kept talking, all the clear blue pieces now gone from its chessboard.

_**Let me begin with a brief recount of history. In the early era, the Grand Master's Court, that is to say, his most powerful and trusted operatives, were involved in a skirmish with three Void Nexus Magistrates. Although the battle was won, the Court suffered heavy losses, and the number of members was cut down by half. One such Court member was Veyrul. The second member of the Court to rise to such a station, Veyrul's soul was shattered by a Magistrate's scythe and lost. **_

"What…what does this have to do with me?" Veil asked weakly, not daring to tear her gaze from the suit of armor in front of her, in case it should attack. Her wings flapped experimentally, preparing to lift her out of harm's way should anything else spring out of the water.

_**Only later, Veyrul's armor was recovered from the battlefield. Upon inspection, Razioth made a startling discovery: Veyrul's soul was sealed inside his own armor, but in so many pieces that he was rendered comatose. Razioth eventually told the rest of the Court that in order to rebuild the original Court, Veyrul would need to be revived.**_

"I still don't see what it has to do with me. I've won your games, so give me my memory back and let me go! Haven't you already done enough damage?" Veil shouted furiously, thinking of her unicorn friend and how she had faced Talonbite without fear. Faedran paid her no attention, but Sirmyurin was beginning to look more and more uncomfortable with every word Faedran said.

_**Without sufficient energy to bring the fragments together, Veyrul would remain in a state of inactivity. But then…you came along. A being with sufficient purity of soul and willpower to actually channel Veyrul's power, like you did just now. **_

"But…why didn't you ever tell me? If I had all this power all this time, how come I couldn't use it?"

_**But you did. Did you ever wonder how you were able to use magic, to warp reality with such ease? How you were able to learn in a single year what takes other beings decades? How you could handle combat and conflict so well with practically no training? Ready for active duty in a year, I would call that a sign of something extraordinarily powerful, even if you didn't notice.**_

Veil's face slackened as she realized the truth of Faedran's words. "But I thought it was that easy for everyone…you mean…I was like that because I was wearing the armor of a Court member?"

Mauraxus smiled and picked up his superior's speech. _"Of course. Whenever you tapped into the power, you would get a string surge of emotion, usually anger. And, over time, Veyrul's soul has been leeched from the armor, and attached itself to _your_ soul. Even your given name, Veil, is a corruption of Veyrul's name. We simply reshaped the armor and gave it to you for preparation. Which is why, regrettably…_

_**In order to finish the restoration, you must decide…**_

Veil's armor suddenly dropped into a combative stance, the mask folding back down. The felt bracer raised, the claw on the end clenching and the blade on the underside flicking out. The metal construct advanced, the red glow behind the visor speaking volumes.

…_**Will you be strong enough to herald the return of a member of the Court, or will your role end here?**_

"Wait! Wait, what about my memory? What about the game?" Veil asked desperately, trying to stall for tome as her own armor, or Veyrul's armor, as it turned out, began to walk at her menacingly.

The dracolich laughed mockingly, safe behind his magical barrier. _"A mere ruse, bait to lead you here. You'll get it back, but by that time, I doubt it'll mean much to you."_

"You…" Veil could not find a term evil enough for what had been done to her. All her life, had everyone been lying to her, just so someone else could have a second chance at life? Was she just a tool?

But then Veil's armor rushed her suddenly, and there was no more time to talk.

Only time to kill, or be killed.

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><p>Veil sent a barrage of blue sparks at her armor, but the blackened metal diverted the attack to both sides and stabbed at Veil with its own bracer blade. Veil took to the air and began to employ a hit and run method, flying in, slashing at the helmet, then zooming out of range before any kind of retaliation could take place. The armor tried to follow her, but with no wings of its own, it could only cut at Veil when she came close, and she was too careful to let herself be hurt.<p>

On the fifth pass, however, something changed. Instead of rearing up to strike at her, the armor shot a bright red beam at Veil. She rolled to avoid it, but there was a sizzling noise, an agonizing pain in her left side, and Veil came crashing to the floor, almost landing in the water. She groggily got to her hooves, and gave her wings an experimental flap. It hurt, especially on the left. The pegasus looked over her shoulder, surveying the damage.

The beam attack had completely shredded her left wing, leaving just enough bone there to keep the wing guard in place. Veil couldn't help it. She cried. Even if she won, she would be grounded for ever, which was no life for a pegasus at all. Tears leaking from her yellow eyes, Veil rose from her prone position and rushed at her wayward armor, vengeance in her heart.

The armor sidestepped and clawed her across the face with its bracer. Lines of pain shot down Veil's face, the pony staggering and holding her head in her hooves. Only one of her eyes was working. The other one was just all red and blurry. Veil's mouth was full of the taste of blood and bile, and she seemed to have bitten her tongue, filling her mouth with metallic tasting warm blood.

There was a sudden impact on Veil's side, throwing the half-blinded, grounded pegasus at the barrier separating the Gigas from the duelists. She hit it hard, a _crack_ signaling some kind of internal damage. Her ribs were on fire, and her head was ringing like somepony had struck a gong inside.

The armor cantered up to Veil, who lay on the marble floor, quietly moaning in pain.

Veil's opponent raised its bracer blade, ready for the final, decisive blow.

The blade swung down, whistling through the air and on a direct collision course with the ebony pony's neck.

Veil slammed her armored hoof against the floor and suddenly, her foe's weapon met an unexpected resistance. Veil had conjured a shining bubble of energy around herself, her right foreleg pressed flat against the manor floor, trembling with the effort.

_**Ah. A barrier spell. You are beginning to remember how to defend yourself. But it's too late.**_

Veil's armor, however, was not so easily deterred. It took a vicious swing at the bubble, making Veil wince as she tried to keep it up.

In her pain-distorted mind she could hear Veyrul's voice, whispering, goading.

…**UnLOCk…mE…My…PowER…iS…GrEAt…ClaiM…VICtory…UnLEAsh…mE…**

Veil's mouth opened, ready to let Veyrul take control, to rise to power. She had to use it, or she would die.

Why was she hesitating?

…**RuLE…CouRT…POWEr…YoU…ArE…ALONe…i…caN…SaVE…YoU…**

_Veyrul's right,_ Veil thought as her armor attacked her barrier again, its weapon deflecting off the flawless surface. _I can't keep it up forever. I'm alone. I don't want to die._

* * *

><p><em>You're not alone.<em>

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><p>Veil's eyes opened wide, Veyrul's voice banished. How could she have forgotten?<p>

Veil's armor attacked again, placing the smallest crack in her shield. Veil's mouth opened, words flowing unbidden from her bleeding mouth.

"I…used to wonder what friendship…could be…"

Veil's armor stabbed at the bubble, enlarging the crack.

"Until…you all…shared…its magic with me."

Veil thought back to her friends, and everything they had done for her. It all seemed so far away, as if their adventures in Ponyville had taken place in another time.

Rainbow Dash, and their nighttime escapade to the flight academy. The cyan pegasus had risked it all, just for a chance of letting Veil recover her past.

"Big adventure…"

Pinkie Pie, and her enthusiasm at seeing the new pony in town, and her willingness to throw a party to make her feel welcome, even so late at night.

"Tons of…fun."

The armor struck once more, a spinning slash that made Veil gasp with the effort of maintaining her spell.

Rarity, and how she had been willing to take Veil to the spa, even though they barely knew each other.

"A beautiful…heart…"

A particularly brutal stab took Veil's breath away for a few seconds.

Applejack, and how she had stayed behind to fend off Talonbite, even though it meant almost certain death.

"Faithful…and strong…"

Veil's shield now was riddled with cracks, her bubble of safety starting to collapse.

Veil thought of Fluttershy, and her never-ending patience and love, even going so far as to venture into the manor to see a single injured pony.

"…Sharing…kindness…it's an…easy…feat…"

Veil's armor leapt into the air, bringing its blade crashing down on Veil's barrier. The cracks grew bigger, the edges of the bubble beginning to fail.

And still Veil thought of Twilight, and how they had braved the last part of the journey together, the unicorn using her spell to keep Talonbite away and buy her some time.

".and…magic makes it…all…complete…"

The armor changed tactics, striking the bubble with a beam of red energy. The beam bifurcated around the barrier, but Veil knew she couldn't hold on much longer. She was running out of time.

"Rainbow…Pinkie…Rarity…Applejack…Fluttershy…Twilight…Ahh!"

The barrier was failing all over now, a web of cracks spreading across the top of the dome.

"Do…you…know…you …are…all…my…"

Another stab from her armor pierced through, but not enough to reach the ebony pegasus, who was too weak to move anything but her mouth.

"…my…very…best…_friends."_ She finished, gasping the last words.

Veyrul took full control of the armor and swung the bracer blade at Veil's dome of shelter. The weapon was diverted to the side, but it was too much. The barrier spell flickered, and ceased to work completely, leaving Veil defenseless.

The armor raised its left foreleg, blade, claw, and all, and slashed at Veil one more time. The pony closed her eyes, curled up tight, and welcomed the end.

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><p>Author's Notes<p>

Leave a review.


	35. 33 My Enemy, My Friend

33-My Enemy, My Friend

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><p>EpicSmiley12, The Random 1, Paprion, and spoderman, thank you for leaving your reviews and keeping me going even though I was feeling a little down these past few days.<p>

* * *

><p>Veil closed her eyes, curled up tight, and welcomed the end. Veyrul's armor, heartless and fearsome, swung at Veil's neck once more, the blade whistling through the icy air, the empty eye holes glowing with malevolent glee.<p>

And then a blinding beam of rainbow light smashed the possessed armor right in the back, lifting it off its hooves and smashing the metal monstrosity right through Mauraxus's barrier. The sudden explosion of light kept going, burning right through the dracolich's magical wall, and had Faedran not opened a yellow portal to catch it, it would have hit the superior's chessboard. As it was, the rainbow colored light only managed to strike Mauraxus and Sirmyurin, searing off the dracolich's wings, and forcing the alicorn to wrap a wing around his head in defense, a protective spell emanating from his sharp horn. The armor hit the far wall with a crash and fell down, venting blue sparks and twitching.

Every being in the room cautiously directed their gaze over to the door, except Mauraxus, who hissed in pain, the stubs of the bone dragon's wings waving in the air, Soulshatter floating forgotten at his side.

_**Impossible. **_Faedran growled, the superior's white teeth forming into a frown.

* * *

><p>Standing in the decimated doorway, confident smiles upon their faces, were Applejack, Rarity, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, Rainbow Dash, and Twilight Sparkle. Around each of their necks was a golden, jeweled necklace, save for Twilight, who had a crown instead. The six of them radiated warmth and light, combating the cold and darkness in the chamber.<p>

The Elements of Harmony had arrived.

"Veil! Are you okay?" Twilight shouted to the prone pegasus on the other side of the room. Veil waved a hoof weakly, but even though she was not at all okay, Veil felt a million times better just seeing her friends there. Even the room seemed to warm up, and to her amazement, there, floating above the six ponies' heads, was a gigantic flaming heart, shedding its heat throughout the entire room. Twilight and her friends stared defiantly at the three Gigas, settling into fighting stances.

_**Enough!**_

Faedran waved his clawed hands, summoning the endless legions of ice phantoms, which glided at the door brandishing clear blades and spiky appendages. But as soon as they neared the Fire of Friendship, every single of the ice monsters staggered and collapsed, disintegrating into tiny chunks of ice that floated harmlessly away on the water's surface. And although they would rise and rise again, not one of the icy phantasms could even get near the Elements of Harmony.

Twilight smiled courageously, waving a hoof to the rest of them. The Elements walked fearlessly down the walkway, taking their time as Faedran's soldiers fell apart around them.

The superior Gigas snarled in anger. Mauraxus writhed in pain on the spot, Sirmyurin slowly removing the wing around his face and gasping in shock at what was happening, but not seeming too upset. Faedran's eyes lit up with rage, every bit resembling the portrait at the top of the second story steps.

_**You will not interrupt the awakening, foul interlopers. I will show you why I AM THE SUPERIOR!**_

Faedran spread his hands wide then clapped them together, red eyes glowing with dark fury. When the clawed hands met, a massive shockwave blasted out, striking the invaders full on.

Twilight and her friends flinched as the wave of force hit them. This was something entirely different, a dark spell that crushed their willpower and stilled their hooves. The fiery heart above the six ponies began to dim, losing its heat.

_**Mauraxus! Finish them! Complete the revival!**_

"_I cannot, my superior. My wings…I must recover from this most heinous assault. Sirmyurin, would you please…?"_

The alicorn nodded, taking flight and landing squarely in front of the six Elements of Harmony, squinting in the light shed by the Fire of Friendship. The alicorn's black mane curled protectively around his eyes, shielding them from the light.

"Before I destroy you, there is something I must know." He said reasonably. The alicorn summoned a dozen glowing spears, which floated at his sides, ready to be launched forward at a moment's notice.

"What?" Twilight groaned, fighting Faedran's spell, but it was useless. The curse, or whatever it was, had made their determination crumble and shaken their hearts, and it took every effort just to stay conscious.

"I thought we made all of you leave, whether through force or by showing you what Veil was really like. Do tell, why did you come back? I am…puzzled."

"Because…" Rarity gasped. "True friends…"

"Forgive an' forget…" said Applejack, trying to lift her hooves.

"Even though Veil's done…ahh! Some bad things…" Rainbow Dash said feebly.

"I know she's sorry for them," Fluttershy whispered, her eyes squeezed shut, fighting the curse.

"And _real _friends…" Pinkie squealed, barely holding herself up.

"Stick with each other…" Twilight moaned, falling to her knees. "…till the end!"

Sirmyurin gazed at his targets with something akin to a mix of confusion and sadness. "But you all saw what she did, I made sure of that." he said slowly. "Veil has betrayed and abused everything your race holds dear. Loyalty, Kindness, Generosity, Honesty, Laughter, and Magic. Then…why didn't you leave her to us?" The radiant spears lowered just a fraction, the alicorn growing even more puzzled.

"_Sirmyurin! Stop stalling and just end it!" _Mauraxus called, his wings slowly growing back, the bones crackling and popping as they regenerated. The Doomknight was walking towards Veil, drawing its Eternity Blade as it approached. The dracolich was going to finish the awakening himself, using the Doomknight to release Veyrul's soul.

Twilight lifted her head up, a spark of something still lighting up the purple irises, meeting Sirmyurin's yellow cat eyes one more time.

"If you've ever had a friend, you would understand."

The alicorn had had enough. With a wave of his horn, Sirmyurin sent every single one of the spectral javelins hurtling on their way…

* * *

><p>…Straight into the Doomknight's chest plate. The necrotic warrior staggered, tried to lift its weapon, but then the spears exploded, shattering the being's armor and body, sending shrapnel everywhere with a deafening report. The Eternity Blade embedded itself in the wall in between Faedran's wings.<p>

_**What? What is the meaning of this?**_

Sirmyurin cast a spell of his own, negating Faedran's curse. The white alicorn took his place at Twilight's side, his mouth a grim slash of determination. He looked down at Twilight, gratitude lighting up his once-sinister face.

"I…thank you for reminding me what it means to be friend. Just because Veil doesn't remember me does not excuse my behavior to her. I know I haven't been the nicest pony you've ever met, but if I've been cruel, it was because…I'm sorry." He said, the pain of the memory etched on his face. "I was the one who removed her memory, and I didn't want to lose her. She was the only one who made me feel like I had a heart." The alicorn gave Twilight a small smile. "It's funny. You're making me feel the exact same way."

Twilight and her friends got to their hooves once more, the Fire of Friendship blazing above their heads, only now, Sirmyurin could look upon it without squinting. The alicorn stared defiantly at his superior and the dracolich, whose wings had completely regrown by now.

"I'm sorry, my superior, but in this case, I am going to follow my heart and do what is right. Veyrul can be revived another way, without any more bloodshed. We are leaving."

Mauraxus roared, angrier than he had been in a long time.

"_WE ARE NOT LEAVING! NOT WHEN WE ARE SO CLOSE!_ _HAVE YOU GONE MAD?" _

_**Sirmyurin. I am your superior. Finish. Them. NOW.**_

"No. I'm sorry, superior, but I won't."

"_Then I will."_

Mauraxus wrapped his tail around Soulshatter's hilt, gripping the sword as he spread his wings and pounced at Veil, who was struggling to get up. The black blade howled, glittering with the multitude of souls that were trapped inside. Sirmyurin vanished with a soft _boom_, reappearing just in time to block the dracolich's attack with his horn, a torrent of sparks rushing out and transforming his horn into a radiant white blade.

"Go! Get Veil's memory back! I'll hold Mauraxus off!" The alicorn could say no more, for he had just been engulfed in a stream of liquid fire from the dracolich's skeletal jaws. Mauraxus pressed the attack, a low strike meant to chop the alicorn's hooves out from under him, but Sirmyurin leapt into the air, launching a massive bolt of blue light at the bone dragon, who skidded out of the way, the bolt smashing a hole in the reflective marble floor. He growled, pounding a bony claw against the ground.

The black marble walkway began to fracture and tear itself open, a multitude of dark armored hands, reddish brown in color bursting through to the surface. One by one, Doomknights rose from the floor, their horned skull shaped helmets gleaming. They were armed with all manners of ordinance, from swords to lances to rail cannons, and some of them began to channel clusters of red and black sparks.

"_Doomknights, to me! Destroy the alicorn! Strike him down!" _As one, the dark red Doomknights drew their swords, aimed their cannons, and charged.

Sirmyurin only managed to take one down with a magical blast before the dark warriors swarmed him, hacking and slashing and stabbing. The ones who remained at a distance began casting destructive spells and firing their weapons with deadly accuracy. Sirmyurin fought and struggled, but the sheer number of Doomknights that Mauraxus had summoned was too much.

The bone dragon turned from his colleague and back to Faedran, who had been seeing to Veyrul's armor. The suit of armor was now back on its hooves, but was still spitting blue sparks at the joints. However, as the two Gigas watched, Veyrul's armor snarled and the sparks stopped, the eye holes glowing as brightly as before. Faedran looked relieved.

_**Excellent. The revival can still be performed. I will awaken the hall of Minera immediately. **_Faedran glanced at Mauraxus. _**You did not tell me you garrisoned a battalion of Doomknights in the manor. Such an act could jeopardize the structural integrity, especially now that Grimm's shade is no longer among us to stabilize matters.**_

"_As long as this is finished quickly, everything should be alright."_

_**Do not do anything more to stress the manor's configuration. You and your Doomknights are already causing some degree of distress. Now, cover me while I summon reinforcements and finish the repairs.**_

As Mauraxus began to conjure a barrier, Faedran dived back to the chessboard, snatching up every gray piece on the table and placing them all in the center, then breathing a dark blue fog on them. Yellow portals began to open sluggishly all around the superior, lighting up the chessboard with their glow.

* * *

><p>"Come on! We've got to get to Veil!" Rainbow Dash said, shaking off the last effects of Faedran's curse. With the Doomknights and Mauraxus focused on fighting Sirmyurin, and Faedran busy doing whatever it was doing, the way to Veil was clear. Dodging projectiles, hostile spells and blue sparks, the six Elements rushed to their fallen friend's side with all speed.<p>

Veil did not look good. One of her wings appeared to have been pulverized, there were a trio of bloody furrows carved across her face like something had clawed her, and she seemed barely conscious. Every now and then, she would take a slow, shuddering breath, but they were labored, as though her ribs were badly broken. She had also accumulated dozens of smaller cuts and scratches that were all leaking blood, the sanguine liquid pooling around the black pegasus and soaking into her mane. But what really caught their attention was Veil's Cutie Mark, which had changed from a jester's hat into a malevolent, triangular face with three horns and red, slanted eyes.

Twilight glanced at Rarity, her Elemental crown twinkling. The white unicorn nodded, and they both began to cast spells of healing, targeting every open wound, every incision and bruise. Twilight's studies had included first aid and various spells to heal work-related injuries, but not one of her books had prepared her for something of this scale, and Rarity was just following Twilight's lead, as she knew even less about healing spells. Twilight took extra care with the ribs; her books had warned that healing broken bones was something that should not be rushed, and was best done in a quiet, well lit environment.

A purple bolt of energy crackled past the seven mares, detonating against the wall and adding to the cacophony of the battle around them. A Doomknight, wielding two curved swords, dashed past them and swung at Sirmyurin, who was now backed against the wall and was fending off Doomknights with bursts of blue sparks. The white alicorn was putting up an amazing fight, but as they watched, the fallen maroon-clad warriors began to stand up from their prone positions, readying their weapons once more. Not at all a good environment for healing, but there was no choice.

As Twilight and Rarity worked, Veil began to become aware of what was going on around her. The pegasus opened her mouth and coughed, spitting up bright red blood.

"…Girls…you came back…for me…" she croaked, red liquid dribbling from between her teeth. Gratitude shone in her one open eye. The other remained shut, as whatever had clawed her had damaged the eyelid and what was underneath.

"Shh…just rest…" cooed Fluttershy, stroking Veil's tattered mane gently. "We're here now."

"I…how did…you…" Veil started to ask, but broke down into a coughing fit halfway.

"We'll tell you later. Just keep still, sugarcube. We're gettin' you out of here." Applejack reassured, keeping a watchful eye on Sirmyurin and his opponents. Another Doomknight fell to a blast of light, but got back on its feet after a few seconds.

"And don't worry," Pinkie said, serious for once. "We'll handle these meanies!"

"You had us so worried back there! Who did this to you?" Rarity said as she healed a gash on Veil's neck.

"…My armor…it's got my memory…my past…I need to beat it, or it'll keep…following me."

"Your armor came to life?" Twilight said incredulously, panting slightly as the magic took its toll.

"It's…a long…story." Veil pulled herself up shakily, blue sparks swirling around her hooves. Almost immediately, the black pegasus toppled over, but Fluttershy and Pinkie quickly ran to her sides, holding her up.

"Veil, wait! We're not done healing you yet!" Rarity exclaimed.

"It's…okay. I can heal…myself." Blue sparks dived into Veil's smaller cuts and bruised, wiping them away like a cloth over a coffee spill, but were unable to do anything about her slashed eye or shredded wing. "I…have…to finish…this." Veil insisted weakly, just before throwing up a stream of blood and saliva. "…have to keep…going…so close…can't turn back…now…" Veil wiped her mouth, but her legs buckled beneath her and the ebony pegasus slumped back down into the pool of blood.

"Veil! No! Yer in no shape to do anythin'!"

"Don't tell me…what I can…and can't…do…" Veil gasped stubbornly, trying to get up once again but failing. "I want…to see…mom…dad…again. Prove…I'm…good enough to be…their daughter."

"Veil, that wasn't really your parents-"

"I…don't…_care._ I'm…not…running."

The Elements of Harmony looked up at Faedran, who was still channeling his spell behind Mauraxus' barrier. The dracolich's attention was fixed on his Doomknights, who were slowly gaining the upper hand against Sirmyurin. Veil's old suit of armor was standing unsteadily on the platform, the protective plates in slight disarray. In between the disheveled chest plates, glimmering with every color of the rainbow, was Veil's memory orb. No wonder she hadn't been able to win; if that monster had Veil's memory, it could anticipate her every move.

Faedran roared a word in a foreign language, slamming both hands on the chessboard. Out of every portal emerged a gray creature, with eyes of glowing orange. Twilight and her friends, with a pang of fear, recognized the gray monstrosities as the statues they had seen in the hall before they had all been split up. Each stone being's head turned simultaneously to look at Veil and her friends, destruction and madness written into their tormented faces.

One by one, the statues from the Hall of Minera stepped through Mauraxus' barrier and toward the Elements of Harmony, their eyes fixed on Veil.

Twilight Sparkle, Applejack, Rarity, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and even Fluttershy stood in front of their fallen friend, forming an impassable six-pony wall. Their jewelry, endowed with the magic of Friendship itself, started to hum with power.

"Veil, please, you've done so much already. This time, _we'll_ fight."

* * *

><p>Author's Notes<p>

Sirmyurin, everypony, I'm proud of you.

And I'm proud of you too, dear readers, for leaving your reviews and keeping me going.

Spoderman-I'm afraid I'm not much for drawing, so if anyone wants a picture of Veil, you'll have to look elsewhere. (unless one of you readers is willing to draw it and send me a link, in which case I'd be ever so grateful.)

Oh, and there's a Kingdom Hearts 2 reference in there somewhere.


	36. 34 Face to Face

34 Face to Face

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><p>A HUGE thank you to Waffleman2211, ChrnoKeeper, No Name, Trollosourus, EpicSmiley12, and The Random 1 for leaving your reviews! You sure know how to make a pony smile.<p>

* * *

><p>Rainbow Dash delivered a ferocious uppercut to a stone tiger, but rather than knocking it out, the big cat absorbed the blow and bit at the Element of Loyalty, narrowly missing her hind legs.<p>

"Ugh…Twilight! Why isn't this working? Talonbite went down quickly enough!" She ducked as a stray rail cannon shot thundered by, blowing a crater in the wall, the rubble dropping into the pool.

Twilight hit a gray wyvern with a bolt of magic, but the flying statue shrugged it off and breathed a beam of red energy at the six ponies. The beam missed, but then the wyvern dived at Pinkie and snapped off a bit of her tail, making the party pony jump in surprise.

"I don't know, Dash! It seems like these things have a special kind of magic protecting them!"

They fought on and on, but just like the Doomknights, Faedran's oversized chess pieces refused to stay down for more than three seconds. The oncoming troops eventually backed the Elements of Harmony into the collapsed doorway.

Twilight and her friends looked at one another, trying to think of a plan. In their minds, everything they had ever used the Elements for rushed by in a hurricane of thought.

There was a second blinding flash of rainbow light, the spectral colors weaving into a protective shell around the six ponies. The stone pieces, ever relentless, charged at the bubble, but once the stone lance knight at the front touched the shield spell, the gray beings abruptly stopped. Cracks spread over the smooth gray marble. The rest of the pieces could only watch with unfeeling orange eyes as the lance knight's cracked body flared with rainbow light, then crumbled into dust on the floor.

On Faedran's chessboard, the miniature lance knight suddenly fell apart.

Mauraxus snorted derisively. _"Really? Another shield spell? Hah. I'll just collapse it, and get this over with."_

The dracolich waved a claw, sending a barrage of blue sparks at the Elemental bubble. The sparks zeroed in on Twilight and her friends, but as soon as they struck the rainbow shell, the sparks fizzled out and died, leaving the shell intact. The dracolich growled in confusion.

"_What sorcery is this?"_ Mauraxus hissed. _"Why. Can. I. Not. Break. Your. Spell?" _Every word was punctuated with another torrent of sparks, each brighter and fiercer than the last. But no matter what Mauraxus threw at them, the bone dragon's spells could not even scratch the magic given off by the Elements of Harmony.

"Whatever you're doing, girls, don't stop!" Rarity said, her necklace giving off an ambient light. "We've got some time to think. Let's make the most of it; Twilight! How do we win this?"

The statues stared at the bubble of rainbow light, but did not dare to follow in the lance knight's footsteps and touch it. The gravel that used to be a chess piece was still smoldering slightly.

"I…I don't know! If only we had a clue!" Twilight fretted, looking at Mauraxus, who was continually firing spells at them.

As if on cue, Veil's lexicon, which Twilight had picked up from the room before, burst open, the pages flurrying and turning, finally settling on a page with a picture of a dark being casting a fireball spell at a wall, turning the wall into what looked like pudding. A short entry adorned the opposite page.

Twilight began to read the words aloud as she picked the book up with her hooves. "Manipulating reality," she babbled as quickly as she could, "is a particular branch of magic developed by the Grand Master that allows the user to completely change the nature and properties of anything, so long as it can be imagined. With sufficient training and knowledge, it is possible to change any object into another object, alter the nature of a spell, or do anything at all, so long as the caster has an understanding of what they are attempting to manipulate."

Another hammerblow of blue sparks cascaded harmlessly down the ponies' bubble. And suddenly, Twilight understood.

"He doesn't understand." She whispered, looking at the furious dracolich. "He doesn't understand what friendship is, so he can't manipulate it! Don't you see, girls? Mauraxus can change how normal magic and brute force affects them, but because he can't understand friendship, Mauraxus can't stop us!"

"Funny. I was just thinking the same thing."

Sirmyurin had suddenly teleported into the bubble, panting heavily. The alicorn was covered with scratches and burns, every injury crawling with blue sparks. "Too many Doomknights. Those rail cannons pack a punch, and they refuse to die. Or stay dead."

"Why?" asked Rainbow Dash.

Sirmyurin smirked. "Doomknights are a particularly nasty kind of undead. It's an old necromancer proverb that 'you can't kill what's already undead', but Mauraxus seems to have warped reality so that I can't even hurt them anymore. Smart pile of bones, that one. If we were still on the same side, I'd congratulate him."

"So how do we beat them?" Fluttershy asked timidly, flinching as a dozen ghostly scimitars disintegrated against the shield of Friendship. Mauraxus' Doomknights joined the ranks of Faedran's statues, launching spells and firing their weapons at the shell. Twilight began to feel a slight drain on her strength.

The alicorn took a moment to think. "As long as Mauraxus is here, he'll keep tipping the odds in their favor. Faedran plays fair, but Mauraxus is the kind that will do anything to win, but there's no way even a dracolich has enough raw power to summon all these Doomknights... Oh no."

The last exclamation was directed at the outside, where a different-looking Doomknight was aiming some kind of tube at them. There was an explosion, and hundreds of tiny black darts came arcing out, stabbing into the ground around them, sending cracks across the floor. The darts shattered, sending minuscule shards of shadow against the bubble.

Faedran swooped to Mauraxus' side.

_**Mauraxus, stop. If you continue summoning extradimensional weaponry like this, you'll collapse the entire infrastructure. Not only that, you are getting distracted. Focus on Veyrul, and then we can get out of here.**_

The dracolich paid his superior no attention, instead opening another yellow portal with a wave of his sword and allowing a bright green beam to come shooting out at the ponies, but like the rest of the attacks, the beam did nothing but make the bone dragon angrier.

Sirmyurin had been formulating a plan as he watched his former colleague's fruitless efforts.

"I've got it. Mauraxus is drawing power from his sword, Soulshatter. That blade contains over a hundred thousand souls, and if we don't separate them, eventually, he'll find a way through. So, I have an idea, but we'll only have one try to get it right. Are you with me?"

"Of course!"

"Sure thing!"

"Indeed we are."

Sirmyurin looked across the room at Veil, who had been all but forgotten in the chaos. His eyes misted over for a second. "I doubt it'll be long before Faedran gets over the shock of all of this and get back on task. We've got to hurry, if Veil is to make it out of this alive. So, this is what you must do…"

* * *

><p>Mauraxus was just in the process of throwing a barrage of thunderbolts when suddenly, the barrier being given off by the Elements of Harmony vanished in a cloud of smoke, enshrouding the statues and a few Doomknights that had closed in. The bone dragon grinned, readying a ball of magma in his jaws, waiting for the smoke to clear.<p>

"_Now I have you…"_

The smoke drifted apart to show Twilight, Rainbow Dash, Rarity, Applejack, Fluttershy, Pinkie Pie, and Sirmyurin with their backs to the wall, all out of magic. Mauraxus roared triumphantly and let the ball of magma fly, hitting his targets dead center, the shockwave flattening the area around the door, breaking apart statues and Doomknights alike. When the dust finally settled, lying in the crater was nothing but the crumbled remains of statues, the broken bodies of fallen Doomknights, and the charred outlines of six ponies and one alicorn, burned into the floor.

_**Mauraxus! What have you done! **_

The superior looked at the chessboard in outrage as the last of his pieces crumbled to ash.

"_I am sorry, my superior, if I have damaged your precious chess pieces, but you must remember, not everything is a game. With the alicorn and the pesky interlopers gone, we can finally attend to the actual objective."_

_**Do not mock me…**_

"_I am not mocking you. I am keeping us on task. Now…" _Mauraxus looked down at Veil, lying passed out on the black marble floor. _"I suppose that makes it easier. Where is the armor?"_

"Right here."

"_Thank you, Sirmyurin." _The dracolich seemed to freeze up, then slowly turned around. _"Wait…"_

Whatever Mauraxus was planning to say next, nobody ever knew, because at that moment, a wave of rainbow light slammed into the bone dragon, sending him flying into the ceiling with a bone-breaking crunch. Soulshatter dropped from the dracolich's tail, hitting the floor and slowly levitating back up. Faedran took that opportunity to seize Veyrul's armor and vanish into thin air. The Elements of Harmony and Sirmyurin uncloaked and walked toward the undead dragon.

"_Why…can I not warp your spells?" _Mauraxus snarled, picking himself up, bone chips falling from his cracked frame.

"Because," Twilight said, her eyes twinkling. "You don't understand friendship, and friendship is magic."

Mauraxus' only response was to roar and pounce at the six ponies, sword in tow, but there was a sudden flash of light, and the dracolich's wings locked up, sending the bone dragon into a pool, water splashing everywhere.

Sirmyurin walked over to where the end of Mauraxus' tail lay on the floor, and picked up Soulshatter from the cracked vertebrae.

"Now, let's end this, once and for all."

* * *

><p>Veil was dreaming. In her dream, she was surrounded by beings who she knew to be friends, but, as the ebony pony watched, one by one, they turned away and walked into the darkness, until only one remained, the two of them standing in the dark together.<p>

A pony in black armor stood facing Veil, eyes glowing red behind the visor.

"Who…who are you?" Veil asked, her voice trembling a little.

"_You know me."_ The armored pony responded, taking a step closer.

"No. No I don't. Please, tell me. I'm all alone here."

The pony in armor did a quick circle around Veil, who found herself unable to move.

Then the pony's visor flicked up, revealing...Veil herself. The area around her lit up, revealing a truly horrible sight. They were both standing on the scorched remains of dead beings, with a thin film of blood under their hooves. The Veil in armor gave an evil grin and moved even closer.

"_I am you, Veil. We have nopony but each other. It's always been that way."_

"No…no. I have mom…dad…my friends…" Veil stuttered, trying to retreat but unable to.

"_Mother? Father?" _The armored Veil laughed harshly. _Do you think that they truly cared about us? That they mourned us when we left Equestria? Ha! We were forgotten about as soon as they sired another daughter."_

"Wait! Another daughter? I have…a sister?"

"_Indeed we did! And they loved her more than they ever did us." _Veil flinched as her armored twin came even closer, so close she could feel the hot breath on her face, and it was frightening. _"As for your friends, do you remember what they did when you were attacked by manitcores?"_

"N-no." The real Veil said, trying to pull away.

"_Liar. You remember, I remember. They all flew away, leaving us to die. Were it not for Mauraxus, we would both be dead." _

"That was a mistake." Veil whispered. "I wish I'd never accepted that deal. Now, mom, dad, my sister, and my friends are all gone, and what have I gained?"

"_What have we gained? We gained power, prestige, and friends who will never let us down. Now, let us fulfill our destiny, and give rise to the most powerful Court member who ever existed."_

The armored Veil pulled closer, even closer to her unarmored counterpart.

"_I'm doing this because I love you."_

And the pegasus in armor leaned in the last few inches, and kissed Veil, their lips touching. Fireworks went off in Veil's mind. She could feel the energy flowing from the intimate contact, slowly strengthening her. The armored Veil pulled away for a moment, panting breathlessly.

"_So, shall we do this? Come. Destiny awaits. Let us fulfill it, alone, as it has always been."_

They kissed again, Veil's mouth being invaded by her copy's tongue, hungrily pulling her closer.

The taste of blood filled both their mouths. The armored pegasus looked down, gasping as she saw the bracer blade in her chest, piecing the armor like tissue paper. Veil, the real Veil, smiled sadly and let her copy fall, strings of blood connecting them at the mouth.

"I'm not alone. Even now, Twilight, Rainbow, Fluttershy, Pinkie, Rarity, Applejack, and Sirmyurin are all waiting for me, fighting for me, back in the land of the living. You, you're part of my past, and I love you too, but that time is over. I'm going to follow my heart and live life, just the way Celestia intended me to."

"_But...if you go back…Faedran…Mauraxus…they'll destroy…you…"_

"My life should have ended years ago." Veil said, looking down at herself. "Maybe my time has come, and if it has, I'll meet it as myself."

With nothing else to say, Veil summoned a yellow portal and began to walk toward it, back to the real world. As she departed, the dying pegasus on the floor shouted one last retort.

"**I…WiLL…have…YoUr…SouL…OnE …Day…" **Veyrul roared, shaking the dreamscape with his fury.

Veil began to cry ask she walked, leaving the dark dream behind.

_Maybe you will, but until that day comes, my soul is my own._

* * *

><p><em>Author's Notes<em>

_Veil kissing herself? What am I thinking?_

_Oh, wait. We're all insane here._

_Leave a review, and fuel my insanity! _


	37. 35 Blade to Blade

35 Blade to Blade

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><p>Faedran was lurking in a dark corner of the manor, sending an emergency message to the one who had sent them on this mission.<p>

_**Grimm. We have encountered some…unexpected resistance.**_

"Is that so?" A faint, feminine voice answered from the void. "Well, I trust your judgment, Faedran. After all, when I gave you this mission, I knew it would be difficult. But even so, I hope you have managed to make some progress?"

_**Indeed, but things are not going the way we anticipated. At all.**_

There was a sigh. "Things rarely do, especially when the Court is involved. That's why I usually kill everyone I interact with in the outer realms once I'm done with them, to make sure things stay simple."

_**Grimm. With all due respect, you are an officer, and have much more flexibility when it comes to outer realm interactions. We cannot simply annihilate everything here. We do not have the authority.**_

"Of course I know that. Just salvage whatever you can and report back as soon as possible."

_**I understand. I will get going immediately.**_

"I hope you do. I would hate to have to come over there and take matters into my own hands."

Faedran terminated the connection and grabbed the armor, heading back to the battle.

* * *

><p>"<em>You…traitor…" <em>Mauraxus hissed, hiding behind his last wall of Doomknights, trying to regenerate his broken bones. The final line of dark warriors attacked with all their undead strength, but without Soulshatter, Mauraxus' defensive spells failed to hold, and Sirmyurin tore the Doomknights apart with ease. The alicorn and the Elements of Harmony formed a tight semicircle around the damaged dracolich, backing the bone dragon up until there was nowhere to go.

"_What is it you want?"_ Mauraxus asked quickly. "_I would be willing to grant you any wish in exchange for you leaving for an hour." _

"We don't want anything but Veil, Mauraxus." Rainbow Dash said, setting her teeth. "And I told you that if I saw you again, I'd grind your bones to dust. Seems you didn't get the memo."

"_Ehh. Rainbow Dash. Let's not be too hasty here…"_

"I think it's the perfect time to be hasty! After all, the only time when you shouldn't be hasty is when you're making cupcakes, and I don't see any cupcakes here!"

Everyone, Mauraxus included, gave Pinkie a quick stare.

"What? It's true."

Sirmyurin took the lead. "Mauraxus, please. Let Veil go. You don't have a personal stake in this. You can just walk away."

"_Hah. No personal stake? Have you forgotten so quickly why I wanted to do this mission? I wanted my body back, so I could serve the Grand Master better. And now you, with your 'friendship' and magic, threaten me and endanger Grimm's plans? I'm surprised at you. You have indeed let sentiment consume you." _

"Then you can just go back, and blame it all on me. Tell Grimm it was my fault that we failed."

The bone dragon's eye sockets twinkled with something. Was it nostalgia, some long-lost relic of a time long past when it hadn't all been about the mission?

They would never know.

"_You know I cannot do that, Sirmyurin."_

The alicorn nodded to Twilight, who signaled her friends to start charging up the Elements. Mauraxus faced the one kind of magic he could not warp, faced his ex-colleague who had taken his source of power, and played his final card. A final, desperate move that was the only way to ensure victory.

"_If I must be defeated, I'M TAKING YOU WITH ME!"_

Mauraxus suddenly sprang at Sirmyurin, blue flames gushing from his gaping jaws, engulfing the alicorn and making him lost his magical grip on Soulshatter, the black blade falling to the floor. The dracolich went berserk, clawing and biting and breathing fire, lashing with his tail as spells began firing off at random. Twilight and her friends scattered, terrified by the sudden display of ferocity. This was the rage of a true dragon, a kind of instinctive anger that did not need flesh to make itself known. Sirmyurin caved in under the assault, gashes and burns opening up on his snowy body. Had he been alone, Sirmyurin would have been overwhelmed by the bone dragon's assault.

"The sword!" the alicorn gasped, blasting the insane dracolich with a bolt of light, paralyzing Mauraxus mid-swing. "Strike him with the sword! I can't hold him for long!"

Twilight galloped over to Soulshatter, but when she tried to levitate it, the black blade resisted her telekinesis and continued to lie flat on the ground, motionless.

"Move over, Twi!" Rainbow Dash zoomed in, and with a brief bit of resistance, lifted Soulshatter's tip off the ground, aiming at the base of Mauraxus' skull.

"Ready, AJ?"

"Yee-Haw!" Applejack sprinted at the sword, and with a powerful buck of her hind legs, sent the cursed weapon rocketing at its target, cutting the very air apart as it flew.

Soulshatter struck home, blowing straight through the bone dragon's skull, scattering bone fragments everywhere with a terrible smashing sound.

The headless dracolich flailed around for a moment, sparks gushing out of the top of the spine before finally falling to the floor, still at last.

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><p>Veyrul's armor and Faedran emerged from a yellow portal, the superior Gigas snarling as it saw the remains of the bone dragon. However, the dragon slayers were so occupied with the target, that insignificant black pegasus, that their arrival was unnoticed.<p>

_**You know what to do. **_

Faedran spoke these words to the armor, which nodded its helmeted head and jumped down to the lower walkway, leaving the superior Gigas staring at the chessboard. It was empty, save for seven pony-shaped figurines, and a new white, alicorn shaped one. The superior reached under the table and found what it had been looking for. The final piece that could change everything.

But…

_**I will play this only if Veyrul fails.**_

* * *

><p>Veil awoke from her dream to the worried faces of her friends. Sirmyurin was healing her hind leg, which she hadn't even noticed was broken.<p>

"Girls! Sirmyurin! You're okay!" She exclaimed, standing up with a little help.

"Yeah! We beat Mauraxus, and that 'superior' seems to have made a run for it! We've won!" Rainbow said, hugging Veil tightly. "We've won!"

_**Don't be so sure of that.**_

As one, all eight of the equines swiveled around, beholding Veyrul's armor, slightly disarrayed, but all the more chilling because of it. Faedran, back behind the chessboard, grinned at them, the white teeth taking in all the light in the room. A spell, already fully charged, gleamed in the superior's clawed hand.

"Stay back." Sirmyurin said. "I'll handle this."

The alicorn was stopped by an armored hoof on his shoulder. He looked down in surprise to see Veil, blood dripping from under her damaged eyelid and with one wing missing, holding him back.

"No." she said calmly. "Let me."

"You're in no shape to fight!" Fluttershy cried, her tail waving frantically.

"We'll take this one!" Applejack offered, adjusting her hat so that the hole that had been torn in it by Talonbite wasn't quite as evident.

"No. I've got to end it here, or that…thing will be back one day, even stronger than ever." Veil's good eye began to water. "You've all been so good to me, even you, Sirmyurin. But this time, I'll face this myself. It's my fault anyway…" Veil flexed her remaining wing, wincing as the shredded remains of her other one tried to flex as well. "…I won't let anyone else die because I was too cowardly to face my life head on."

"Veil-"

"You're not stopping me, Twilight. And after this is all over, you can show me around Ponyville. You can show me Winter Wrap Up, Nightmare Night, and everything else. Deal?"

Twilight looked at her friend as she stepped up to face her past. "Deal." She confirmed, fighting back tears of anxiety.

* * *

><p>…<strong>WhAt…Do…YoU…FiGHt…foR...<strong>

Veyrul's voice, vindictive and bitter, echoed in Veil's mind, the both of them linked by their souls.

Every time Veil had been faced with Veyrul, the Court member had almost paralyzed her with fear, making her feel alone, alone and guilty for everything she had done.

But now, Veil had an answer.

"I fight…" she replied slowly, readying her bracer blade and both her wing guards. "_For my friends!"_

Veil, bloody and bruised, began running at Veyrul's armor, her hooves clicking against the floor, building up speed as she ran. Her mane and tail, stained with her own blood, streamed out behind her.

The armor imitated her, sprinting at its opponent, armor plating clanging and clashing as the metal hooves struck the marble floor, striking fire out of the stone with each step. As it ran, dark smoke began to stream out of all the gaps, shrouding the metal pony until it was just a blur of smoke, wreathed in blue sparks.

Veil ran on, closing the distance between the Court member. A rainbow aura surrounded her, giving her the last vestiges of strength to keep going, despite the pain that wracked her body with every step she took.

With just ten meters between them, Veil extended her good wing to its full length, the metal blade mounted on it shining with reflected light. The armor steadied its left bracer, galloping fell pelt at the ebony pegasus.

With just five meters to go, Veil leapt into the air, unfolding her bracer blade as she jumped.

The armor readied its own blade, locking onto the ebony pegasus' face. Twilight and her friends covered their eyes, half not wanting to watch, half unable to tear their eyes away.

They collided in mid-air, and there was a snapping sound, a squelch, and suddenly, both combatants were facing their backs to each other, sliding with their momentum.

Veil went down on one knee, blood starting to flow from her chest, her breath escaping in short, ragged gasps.

Veyrul's armor turned, triumph gleaming in its eye holes, the dark smoke fading.

Then it wobbled, took a few last stumbling steps, and fell apart.

* * *

><p>Author's Notes<p>

Sorry for the lack of review recognition in this chapter. I'll post those next update.

Well, the tables certainly turned for our heroes in this chapter. Also Grimm's little cameo appearance.

Leave a review, and find out what happens next.


	38. 36 Endgame

36 Endgame

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><p>I want to recognize, and honor, EpicSmiley12, The Random 1, anon, No Name, ChrnoKeeper, and anypony else who read my last update. Thanks for leaving your reviews.<p>

Also, sorry if I'm putting too many Kingdom Hearts references in. I just started replaying that game, and it's slipping into my writing.

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><p>Faedran backed away, the final piece clasped tightly in the superior's clawed hand, white teeth no longer gleaming. This couldn't be happening. Everything had been so immaculately planned, so well executed, so well prepared. Everything had been pointing toward a flawless victory, the rise of a new Court member, one that would bring Grimm to the next stage of her proceedings.<p>

But now…

Mauraxus was dead…well, really dead this time. Veyrul had been vanquished. Sirmyurin, Faedran's key mindbreaker, had switched sides, consumed by sentiment. And the superior, against all expectations, had just about run out of pieces…and options.

For the first time in centuries, Faedran felt, ever so slightly, afraid. The clawed fingers tightened around the piece, the final chess piece.

If this was played, the game was over, but if it was played, the results would be…unimaginable. The only other time Faedran had been forced to use this piece was...oh yes. That chess game against Balladium, the realm-shifter. And even then, it had almost destroyed everything. However, in the current circumstances, this was the only thing left to play.

Could the superior risk it?

* * *

><p>The Elements of Harmony, with Sirmyurin hot on their heels, rushed to Veil's side. The ebony pony was lying face up on the stone floor, her remaining wing bent at an unnatural angle, broken. There was a deep notch in the wing guard that was mounted on it, testifying to the force of the clash between Veyrul's armor and its former host. Blood pooled around Veil's body, and although the crimson puddle was growing by the second, Veil was smiling, her yellow eye gazing lovingly at the orb that she held clasped in her bracer's grip.<p>

She thought back to the duel. Wounded and drained of energy, Veil had known she would not be able to defeat Veyrul in a front on clash, so at the last moment, Veil had absorbed the armor's blow on her wing, instead grabbing the memory orb from between the open chest plate with her right foreleg. She had hoped that, if the source of power was gone, Veyrul would no longer be able to manifest as a solid consciousness.

"I…was…right…" she said faintly, ignoring the cries of concern and panic from her friends, ignoring the dull, throbbing pain in her chest. Ignoring the blood gushing down her sides.

"Veil! Veil! Don't close your eyes! Stay with us!"

There was a voice calling to her. It sounded familiar. Somepony she knew…Veil wished it would go away. She was so tired…

"Sirmyurin! What are going to do!"

"I-I don't know-"

The alicorn's rushed, frantic voice buzzed into Veil's thoughts, disrupting them. A cyan hoof entered her field of vision, only to be smacked away by a lavender one.

"Don't touch it, Rainbow! Even the slightest movement could be deadly. How do we remove it?"

_Remove what? _Veil thought curiously, shifting her gaze from the memory orb to the epicenter of her chest pains.

There, stuck halfway in her flesh and still glowing with red runes, was the bottom half of Veyrul's bracer blade. That must have been the snapping noise that they had heard during the duel's conclusion. They had hit each other so hard that Veil's opponent's weapon had shattered.

And by some kind of horrendous luck, had embedded itself in her body, perhaps as a final curse from the Court member before it was defeated at last.

The end of the blade rose and fell with every breath Veil took, her blood oozing out from all around it, sending trickles of warmth down her sides. Blue sparks danced around the wound, but no matter what Sirmyurin tried, nothing changed. Veil's vision began to grow dark around the edges, her friends' voices becoming fainter.

"It's…okay…girls…" Veil tried to say, but suddenly found herself unable to make a sound. Instead, a familiar metallic taste entered her mouth.

Twilight, Fluttershy, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Pinkie Pie, and Sirmyurin all looked at each other desperately.

"What are we going to do?"

* * *

><p><em><strong>Nothing. Sirmyurin, this charade of yours has come to an end. You will come back with me and report to Grimm, or else I will play my final piece.<strong>_

The white alicorn looked up at his superior, blinking away tears, the first open display of sorrow he had shown in decades.

"Faedran!" he cried, using his superior's name for the first time. "Don't do this. Help us save Veil, and I'll take all the blame! You can tell Grimm _I_ sabotaged the mission. Just, please, don't play that last piece!"

_**YOU, you who have doomed this mission to failure, you who have decimated my every attempt to save it, you who showed no mercy when fighting for yourself, now have the audacity to beg for it? I am beginning to question your sanity. I will tell you this. Leave the target here, and when I report you to Grimm for insubordination, I will tell her that your mind was addled by local corruption. **_

The superior's clawed hand held a single white piece over the chessboard, ready to slam it down. Twilight and her friends didn't know what that piece was, but just from seeing Sirmyurin's reaction, transforming from the bold alicorn into a shaking wreck, was enough to make them tremble as well.

Veil coughed, a weak, spluttering noise that was more liquid than air. "Don't…worry…about…me…" she croaked, blood trickling from her mouth. "…You can…leave…me…here…I…won't…be…mad…" Unable to say any more, Veil's head tilted back and she closed her eye, the blade in her chest glowing brighter and brighter.

_**Well, do hurry up. Leave the target, and I will be lenient.**_

Sirmyurin gazed up into the red, pitiless serpentine face of the superior, and said what he should have said when Mauraxus asked him to perform the memory wipe.

"No."

Faedran's false smile dropped, and with it the white piece, the round base clicking onto the chessboard with an ominous echo. Around them, the manor began to shake, bits of the ceiling falling in, smashing to smithereens on the floor and displaying a vivid yellow sky above.

_**Checkmate.**_

* * *

><p>"No!" Sirmyurin shouted, but his plea fell on deaf ears, and the superior Gigas flashed the party one last smug grin before vanishing into a yellow portal, the exact same shade as the churning sky above. Wherever the manor's third floor opened into, it wasn't Equestria.<p>

The manor was coming down all around them, masonry shattering into fragments all around them and making huge splashes in the water. Wind howled around everypony, and the floor began to crack, yellow light erupting up from the fissures.

Sirmyurin's eyes were wide with fear as he stood paralyzed in the middle of the destruction. "The manor…what has Faedran done?"

Twilight tugged at the alicorn's foreleg. "Sirmyurin, come on! We have to get Veil out of here!"

The alicorn caught Twilight's gaze, yellow cat eyes meeting deep purple. His mane roiled and whipped as he shook the unicorn off. "You go. I'll keep the manor from falling."

Rarity and Applejack were instantly in his way. "Darling, you can't! We need your power! We'll never make it out without you!"

"Yeah! Yer our friend anyway! We're as sure as sugar not leavin' you here! We need your help!"

To their surprise, the alicorn gave them both a nuzzle before turning away.

"No. It was I who needed yours." Sirmyurin's horn began to glow with white light, the cracks on his hooves spreading upwards. "Now, _go!_ If you hurry, Veil can still make it! And take Soulshatter. It's yours now."

"Sirmyur-"

"Go! In a moment, this whole place will be swarmed with Nexus Magistrates!" The alicorn's eyes were clenched shut with the effort, but he turned from his task to blast the doors back open, showing them the way out.

As Twilight and Rarity lifted the unconscious body of Veil off the floor, Sirmyurin turned to the Elements and whispered, "Tell her I'm sorry. For everything"

But the seven ponies were already gone.

* * *

><p>Twilight and her friends galloped as fast as they could, dashing through the double doors, down the steps, and into the huge chamber that housed the black marble labyrinth. Upon reaching it however, they were astounded to see that the previously chaotic arrangement had been replaced with a simple, straight strip of black stone, leading back to the Hall of Minera.<p>

There was a roar from behind them.

A nastily familiar roar.

"_I WILL CRUSH YOUR SOULS!" _

The Elements of Harmony turned their heads. A massive dragon made of blue fire was diving down at them, the indigo flames streaming out from behind it like a perverse kind of slipstream. The fiery dragon's eyes burned with hatred, locking its gaze on the seven mares that stood transfixed by this scene of awful beauty, the beauty of death that was Mauraxus.

Just when Mauraxus was about to crash right into them, something clicked in their minds, and the flame dragon missed the party by mere inches, the heat from his body crisping the hair on the ponies' manes and coats.

"RUN!" Pinkie screamed at the top of her lungs, as even more debris rained down around them, blocking off bits of the path.

As they ran, faster than they had ever run before, Soulshatter began to hum, levitating off Twilight's back and floating at her side. Mauraxus, ever relentless, screamed through the air after them, falling stone dropping harmlessly though his flaming blue wings.

The Hall of Minera passed in a blur, barely giving Twilight and her friends time to register that all the statues from before were now missing.

They galloped though the corridor that Talonbite had first appeared in, emerging in the tea room, but now, the tea room was not a room but a hallway. Ignoring the burning sensation in their legs and lungs and wings, the Elements ran and flew even faster, the raging fire dragon hot on their hooves.

Mauraxus flew even closer. The heat off his body was now igniting the carpet under their hooves.

Carpet. They were almost out.

The tea room suddenly gave way to the first floor foyer, the front door standing ajar, letting sunlight stream in, lighting up the hallway.

Almost there.

Mauraxus breathed a fireball at their backs, the blazing projectile arcing over their heads and hitting the archway above the door, setting it on fire with raging blue flames.

The door grew bigger, the sunlight brighter.

Applejack, who was at the back, felt the tip of her tail start to burn.

With a final shout, Twilight and her friends galloped out into the manor courtyard, the fresh air hitting their soot-stained faces and invigorating their oxygen-starved lungs.

Mauraxus exploded out of the door, setting the courtyard vegetation alight and lunging at Veil and the ponies protecting her.

"_Crush…your…soul…"_

"No," Twilight said with a calm finality, facing the oncoming being of fire. "I'll crush yours."

And, without even knowing how, the lavender unicorn swung Soulshatter with all her might, the sword following her will and plunging right into the burning beast's trunk, the dragon shrieking and being drawn back into the trembling manor.

"_I CURSE YOU, BETRAYER!" _Mauraxus bellowed, clawing at the edges of the doorframe in a last, desperate attempt to stay out. "_I CURSE YOU WITH ALL MY SOULS!"_

Then the door slammed shut, and the dracolich known as Mauraxus was gone forever.

* * *

><p>Author's Notes<p>

This was exhilarating to write.

Leave a review, because it's not over yet.


	39. 37 Story of Her Life

37 Story of Her Life

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><p>Special thanks to EpicSmiley12, jack chris, Ninjagirl01 (You don't have to apologize for anything, I'm just happy that anyone's reading this), The Random 1, and ChrnoKeeper for leaving your reviews.<p>

Hey, 100,000 word milestone. Thank you, all of you, for helping me get this far.

* * *

><p>Twilight and Rarity let Veil down on the grass as lightly as they could, the pegasus' ruined frame painting the grass bright red. The black pony was barely breathing anymore, her tangled mane falling over her face. The blade in her chest was still glowing brightly, draining Veil's life as she fought to stay alive.<p>

Pinkie brushed Veil's mane off her face, exposing the depth of her injuries. Although the blue sparks had healed most of the superficial wounds, Veil's face still bore the light, still raw scars of being clawed by the armor, one of the slashes cutting into her eye and causing her to continually weep crimson tears, even while passed out. The rest of her body hadn't fared much better. Both of her wings were ruinously damaged, almost ensuring that she would never fly again. Her foreleg was gushing blood through her still-pristine bracer, and there were several deep cuts that they had been unable to heal, all of them showing no signs of closing over.

And still, she gripped the memory orb she had torn from the armor's chest, never letting go, never loosening her grip, hugging it close to her battered self.

But no matter how closely the orb was grasped, Twilight could tell that Veil's memories stayed locked inside, inaccessible to anyone without the knowledge of how to unlock it.

"Oh, Veil…" Twilight sobbed, setting her crown on the grass and collapsing next to her friend, hot tears falling from her eyes. "It meant so much to you to get your memory, but, but…"

Twilight's friends gathered around Veil silently, bowing their heads. Without proper knowledge on what exactly the blade was doing to Veil's body, there was no way that any of them could remove in in time.

There was a soft _boom_ in the air. They turned their solemn faces around to see, lying in a circle of smoldering grass, a badly burned, yellow-eyed alicorn.

Sirmyurin had survived.

"Sirmyurin!" Fluttershy squeaked as the alicorn staggered over to them, his horn notched and cracked. "We thought, we thought-"

"Believe me, I thought I wasn't going to make it. When the Magistrates started coming in, I was ready to face the end. But for some reason, just as I was going to give in, I saw all of you, all seven of you, cheering me on. When that happened, well, I couldn't let you down like that. After that, everything is a blur. I…I just know that…you were there to show me what friendship was, and I wanted to return the favor. But…"

Sirmyurin looked down at Veil, and how close she was to death. "I'm too late." He choked, crystal teardrops falling from under his eyelids, tracing the markings under his eyes.

"You mean, you mean you don't know how to save her?"

Sirmyurin bowed his head. "This kind of thing is far beyond my skill level…perhaps Faedran would know how, but me…I'm useless here. There's nothing I can do…"

The seven of them stood in silence, thinking of their friendship with Veil, hoping for somepony to suddenly get a sudden, day-saving revelation. None came.

"I wish…" Twilight said, talking to herself more than anypony else. "I wish Veil could have had her wish. She wanted to get her memory back, to be whole again. I wish she could just have…" Twilight dissolved into silent tears, never having actually experienced anything like this before.

Sirmyurin approached Veil soundlessly, his damaged horn glowing weakly as he touched Veil's forehead with it, tapping into her mind, breaking through the barriers set up by her consciousness, giving her the willpower to stay with them just a little longer. It wasn't much; the Magistrates had not been gentle in their assault, and despite having fought with all his might, nearly all his magic had been used up in just escaping.

Sirmyurin withdrew his horn, panting with the effort of maintaining the spell.

And, bit by bit, Veil's eye opened, and she gave them all a frail little smile.

"Hey…" Veil said from the grass, surveying them all with a glad eye. "You're all okay," She coughed, blood flecking her front. "Thank Celestia…"

"Shh, Veil, just keep still." Rainbow said, hovering above her. "It's going to be okay-"

"No. It won't be."

Everypony looked at Veil as she forlornly looked up into the clear blue sky.

"I can feel my soul getting ready to leave. It's…kind of funny, really. It's all over, and I even though I don't remember a thing, I feel like I know myself so much better just by being around you guys…but I guess…it's time for me to go."

"Veil, please, stay with us!" Even as the words exited Twilight's mouth, she realized how foolish they sounded.

Veil fixed her tired gaze on the unicorn. "Twi…I'm sorry. I know that you wanted to show me Ponyville…but I have to break that promise. Could…could you ever forgive me?"

"For what?" Rarity cried out, trying as hard as she could to keep her composure.

"For dragging you into this. You almost died…and it was all my fault. And look at me now. I guess I'm still not good enough." Veil's mouth twitched. "But you managed without me. And I know you'll do just fine when I'm gone…"

"And…I just wish I could have seen…mom and dad…one last time."

Sirmyurin gasped. The last of his power was gone, the spell keeping Veil awake fizzling out.

Veil's eyelids began to droop, her breath slowing. She lifted a hoof to Twilight, who took it in her own. Tears fell from everypony's eyes, as they realized what this meant.

"Twi…light…"

"Yes, Veil?" The lavender unicorn whispered, looking into Veil's yellow eye, her vision blurring with tears.

"I…wanted…to…say…I…love…y-"

Veil's grasp on the memory orb loosened, her left foreleg slipping from Twilight's hoof and falling onto the grass.

And Veil, the pony who had cheated death those seventy long years ago, finally passed away.

* * *

><p>"Oh, Veil…" One by one, the seven ponies bowed their heads, Applejack taking off her hat and holding it to her chest.<p>

On Twilight's back, the lexicon began to vibrate, levitating over to the memory orb, where it had rolled from Veil's grip onto the bloodstained grass.

The book flew open, turning to the page. The ball of rainbow light flew up to meet it, the orb melting into the pages and filling them with color.

And slowly, ever so slowly, the book settled on the ground, right in from of Twilight's grieving face. She looked at the pages, wiping tears from her eyes.

"She chose to let you see her memories. She must have liked you very much…" Sirmyurin murmured, gazing at the levitating book.

Twilight glanced at him, unsure of what to do. "Touch the book. All of you." The alicorn said, his mane shifting around his face.

Twilight, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie all gathered in front of the book, and as one, lifted their hooves and touched the lexicon.

The world turned white, but this time, it was accompanied by the sound of rustling pages.

* * *

><p><em>A young dark blue pegasus mare waited impatiently on a cloud as flocks of colorful birds flew by. The sun was a good ways up already, glinting off the pony's white and bright blue striped mane and tail. Her Cutie Mark was hidden by her wings.<em>

_Soon, two older pegasi caught up with the first, coming to a halt next to her. One male, one female, both with a tender caring expression on their faces._

_Veil's parents._

"_Now, do be careful, alright?" the female, a cream colored pegasus mare with a light green mane said, "I hear the ground is covered with dangerous creatures." _

_The dark blue filly rolled her icy blue eyes, but gave her mother a reassuring hug just the same._

"_I'll be okay, mom. I'm one of the fastest flyers in my class. Ain't nothing going to catch me!" She did a loop to prove her point, executing it with perfect precision. _

_Her father, a stately gray-yellow pegasus with a five o'clock shadow, seemed to think otherwise. _

"_Please. We're not kidding here. Better flyers than you have been seriously hurt on the ground." He did not seem to want to say the word 'killed'. _

"_Oh, daddy, you're such a worrier. The academy said it would be just fine! Lighten up!"_

* * *

><p>"<em>Everypony keep calm! Fly away now! Fly!" <em>

_The chaperones yelled at their charges to escape while they could, especially considering that manticores were capable of short bursts of flight. The Lexicon's pages turned, settling on an image of the same dark blue pegasus, except this time, her left wing was badly broken, and she was streaked all over with her own blood. She was galloping was fast as she could, eyes wide and scared, every hoof step causing her pain. Roaring came from ten paces behind her._

_The bushes rustled, and a manticore, all two tons of it, crashed out. Veil ran even faster, only to be cut off by the appearance of a second brute, slinking out from behind a boulder. She looked for a way out; saw her classmates flying to the safety of the skies. _

_Disappointment and sorrow radiated from her heart._

_The manticore which had been stalking her twitched its tail, and sprang at the helpless filly. She closed her eyes and waited for the end to come._

_Time froze. _

_A swirling yellow portal opened before Veil's face, and out stepped a being cloaked in shadow, but those horrible sharp teeth and red eyes were all too visible._

_**Ah. You seem to be in a bit of a fix. I think we can strike a deal, hmm?**_

* * *

><p><em>A plain stone room, covered floor to ceiling with ominous runes. Statues of every kind lined the walls, watching silently even as their captured souls begged for release. Two figures stood in the center of the room, talking.<em>

"_Why can't I go see mom and dad?" Veil asked._

_The one she spoke to, Mauraxus, waved a skeletal hand dismissively._

"_You will see them when the Grimm allows you to, or when your contract is over. Now, enough questions. Let us see what you can do…"_

_Before Veil could say anything more, a tall, slim bipedal statue stepped forward, brandishing a triple-edged sword that shone with blue sparks. It advanced on the pony. Mauraxus tossed Veil a short sword. She picked it up gingerly with her mouth._

"_Now fight, or we might just have to return you to the manticores. I need to see what you're made of."_

_Without another word, the two unwilling combatants clashed blade to blade as the grinning dracolich watched from afar. _

_Veil's combat skill was nonexistent. The moment the thin statue closed the distance, she knew that she would lose. Within ten seconds, her weapon was knocked from her mouth and she was backed into a corner, with nowhere to run. As the statue raised its arm for the finishing blow, she shut her eyes tight. _

'_Let it be over quick' she prayed._

_Then there was a smashing sound, and Veil opened her eyes to see her attacker's body impaled on Soulshatter's tip, its soul draining away to feed the weapon's insatiable hunger. Mauraxus watched with approval as what was left of the statue's essence was sucked away. The dracolich's green eye sockets glowed with a twisted kind of satisfaction._

"_You'll do, I think."_

* * *

><p><em>Veil, now a darker shade of blue than before, dragged herself through a portal back into her manor. She was dripping blood, but even as she walked blue sparks darted from the walls and healed her wounds. Veil sighed and flopped down onto one of the many opulent couches in the living room. After a while, she turned and looked at a picture frame on the table. <em>

_Her mother and father, still as pristine and crisp as if it had been taken an hour before, smiled back at her. _

_Veil stared back, holding the gaze stoically as the last of her injuries healed._

_A knock on the door. _

_Sirmyurin, all white and black, strode into Veil's home, a letter clutched in the writhing mane._

"_Ah, Veil. How was your first task? Did you manage to seal the deal?"_

_Veil got up shakily. She shook her mane, which was now getting unruly, out of her eyes before answering. _

"_I did, but I didn't expect such heavy resistance. I used up a lot of energy fighting off the target's guards."_

_Sirmyurin smiled understandingly. "I know it's difficult going around with only a basic knowledge of how to warp reality, and with only a month of practice, it's lunacy to send you out on such tasks." The alicorn shaped Gigas handed Veil the letter. _

"_Grimm has decided to give you a gift, albeit indirectly. You are to report to the Castle in the Air as soon as you can to be fitted for your armor." _

_Sirmyurin looked like he wanted to say something else, but kept his mouth shut._

_Veil got up and cantered over to the alicorn. _

"_Let's go."_

* * *

><p><em>Veil stood in the center of a stone dias while various pieces of plate armor, chain mail, energy shielding and runed fabrics danced in a circle around her. As she stood, one by one each piece of material was placed on her body, sometime overlapping, sometimes melded together with a burst of blue sparks from the tailor, a tall, faceless spirit with no legs and six feathery wings wearing a pointed, wide brimmed hat. It was a frightening creature in appearance, but as the tailor swirled all the materials around Veil, it was positively chatty. <em>

"_A pony, eh?" it said in a cheerful, charismatic voice. "It's my first time seeing one of your sort, although I certainly hope it won't be the last. Your order was specially authorized by Grimm, but she wouldn't tell me why." It picked its way through a thicket of clinkery chain mail and continued. _

"_So, what'll it be? Plate, mail, energy shielding, telekinetic, magical- oh, got _lots_ of those, or something else, like the Riftrunner set? That was a tough one to fit, but the results were oh so satisfying."_

_Sirmyurin was watching the fitting procedure carefully. "Just a basic set for now, to protect her from excessive injury." He said, keeping his voice level and calm._

"_What's energy shielding? It sounds good." Veil asked from her position on the dias. _

_The tailor waved its arm. "If you don't know what it is, it's best you don't use it. More than one operative has been damaged by unknown equipment in the time I've worked here, which is a very, very long time." _

_The tailor kept looking through the levitating supplies, searching this way and that._

"_It's a lesson I learned quickly. If you don't know how it works, don't use it. Now, how does this look? Plate with underlying mail, reinforced with runes and enchantments. As basic as I can get without sacrificing defensive and offensive power."_

_The tailor gave Sirmyurin a subtle bow, unnoticed by Veil. _

_A yellow vortex opened in the air as a second creature, shrouded in a voluminous green cloak and cowl stepped out. It had a hunched stance and seemed to scuttle rather than walk like any of the other beings Veil had seen so far. The tailor greeted it warmly and the two creatures shook...sleeves. _

"_It's been a while, armorer. I trust you brought the weaponry I requested? Good, we can get a drink later, maybe?" _

_The armorer stepped towards Veil as the tailor showed Sirmyurin the design for her armor. A wave of the cloak and dozens upon dozens of devices came whistling out. Weapons, of course. Blades and clubs and bows and many other things no pony had ever seen before._

_The armorer's voice was echoing and curt. "Now, what sort of ordinance do you want? Traditional blades, wrist, back, and tail mounted blade, energy blade, firearms-human or otherwise, enchanted weapons, soul siphons, biological and magical augmentations, enchanted projectile weapons, and a whole host of other things which I wasn't allowed to bring, but if it as absolutely necessary, I can smuggle a few in. Now, what suits you the best? Hurry up."_

_Veil was overwhelmed by this sudden stream of information. "What, firelegs, enchanted augme-whats?" _

_The armorer extended an insectoid hand from its cloak and shoved it into the cowl, holding its head in its hand. _

"_Really? A novice? Sirmyurin, you didn't tell me it was a novice." Still in a posture of dismay, the armorer stuck out two more arms and began to pull devices out of the air, one after another._

"_This is a traditional double-edged tempered blade. Sure, it may seem rather useless compares to a weapon like the ones used for the destroying worlds, but we all have to start somewhere. Can't go wrong with a nice sharp, magically reinforced piece of metal." the armorer then picked up an intricate device that was a dull gray and bent in the middle. _

"_Traditional human firearm. If there ever was a race that enjoyed creating weaponry, it's the humans. Of course, ever since the great collapse, their race has all but destroyed themselves, but that's not important. What matters is that we managed to get nearly all their creations before they went and started killing each other. Anyway, how this works is you point at a thing, pull this bit down here called the trigger, and you hurt whatever you're pointing at. Simple, and it doesn't even need bullets anymore. Now, the enchanted weapons are much more interesting…"_

_Veil and Sirmyurin left the castle through a yellow gate, Veil now wearing an impressive set of armor and carrying a small assortment of wicked looking blades that could be attached to the armor. They were designed and enchanted to be able to cut through most non-magically reinforced objects, or so the armorer had claimed. Veil had wanted a possessed dagger to keep her company (Possessed objects could speak) but Sirmyurin had put his hoof down. She wasn't ready yet. _

_But it didn't matter. For the first time since she had arrived, Veil felt wanted and appreciated, even if it was by some beings who looked totally different from her. Her heart light as she began to pour over the instruction scroll, Veil decided that perhaps her stay here might not be so bad after all. The dark blue pony spread her wings and flew upstairs to her bedroom and deposited her new gear on the bed, then galloped back downstairs to go have tea with the tailor. _

_She didn't even seem to notice how her new helmet's eye holes glowed red in the dark, or how it whispered once it was alone._

* * *

><p>"<em>I've changed. I'm different now."<em>

_Sirmyurin and Veil stood on a pedestal while dozens of beings, including Mauraxus and Faedran, stood below. It looked like some kind of graduation ceremony. Veil was wearing her set of armor, blades and all attached. Her mask was folded back, displaying her face, now as black as a moonless night with beautiful ice blue eyes. _

"_Well done. You've learned all of the skills we've taught you in the past year. Now, on behalf of the Grand Master, I present to you your very own inter-world pass. Now you're ready to be assigned to a more long-term task, if you want. This pass gives you some more freedom when out on the job, meaning if you should destroy some things you didn't mean to, a squad will be sent to clean it up later. Once you rise through the ranks, the leeway gets more lenient, and maybe you might reach officer level, eh? But I digress. I hereby present to you your pass! Use it well, be as lethal as you want to be, for the Grand Master." _

_Sirmyurin handed Veil what looked like a tennis-ball sized blue orb. As the armored peagsus accepted it, the orb crackled and dissolved into thousands of sparks, diving into the metal plating. Veil's eyes flashed, the calm blue replaced with a bold yellow. _

_The crowd erupted into cheers. _

"_In the meantime, feel free to celebrate." Sirmyurin's wings spread wide as the crowd quieted down a little. "On this day, a new being joins our ranks! Make merry and enjoy yourselves!"_

_A two legged creature in loose black clothing and wearing a belled jester's hat clutching a canvas and brushes approached Veil, who reared up on her hind legs in response. There was a slight burst of the blue sparks around the canvas, and the painter turned it around to show a perfect likeness of Veil, all dressed up in her armor and glowing with power. It then handed the painting to her and walked away, humming a jaunty tune._

* * *

><p><em>Screams of pain, from everywhere. <em>

_Flashes of light._

_Veil dove in and out of yellow portals, each time returning with bloodstains on her body, but otherwise smiling._

* * *

><p><em>Veil was crying. She lay on the couch furthest from the door, quietly letting tears fall from her eyes and into the jet-black fur of her forelegs. Before her on the table was what appeared to be tiny glass shards that were in the process of being put together. Each piece looked cracked and fragile, as if just touching them would make them crumble to dust. Veil suddenly lifted her head and, still wiping tears away, set back to work putting another shard into the assembly. Each time she touched a piece, Veil would gasp as though she were being cut by some invisible being. <em>

_Veil herself did not look good. The black pony looked as though she hadn't slept in weeks, her mane and tail were in dire need of a wash and a trim, and her yellow eyes were reddish and bloodshot from weeping. _

"_I'm almost done…" she muttered. "Almost…there…" _

_Another shard. Another gasp of pain._

* * *

><p>"<em>One more piece…Ahhh!" Veil screamed as the final shard was put into place, completing a glowing orb. <em>

_It was the manticore's soul. The one she had shattered in that other memory. Veil had somehow managed to put it all back together, although it seemed she had paid a high price. Gasping and limp, Veil could only grip the orb gently while she waited for her breathing to return to normal. _

"_I…I…finished it…at…last." _

_Veil tried to get to her hooves, crashed onto the floor and lay there, just trying to stay conscious. _

_Veil tilted her head to look at the now-finished soul. She slowly unclasped her metal claws from around it. The same claws that had smashed it to powder._

"_Go on," the pegasus whispered to the orb, each word carrying encouragement. "Get out of here."_

_The soul didn't need telling twice. Just before it zoomed through the wall, a guttural voice said 'Thank you." _

_Once Veil was sure the soul was well and truly gone, she rose up from the floor and reached over to the table for a sheet of parchment. It only took two tries to get the ink bottle open, and she was soon writing a note._

_Dear Sirmyurin,_

_It is with great regret that I must announce to our squad that I will soon be leaving. My contract's over, and I want to go home. It's not that I've had a bad time here. I just feel like it would be for the best if I left quietly. Thank you for everything; it's been an amazing trip. I'll never forget you, or any of the others._

_Veil_

_She used a burst of blue parks to seal the letter, then, one hoof at a time, walked to the front door and put the letter in a slot marked 'out'. Veil made sure the slot closed all the way, and slumped to the carpeted ground in exhaustion. _

"_Almost…there…" Her eyelids drooped downwards. "Need a few more days…"_

* * *

><p><em>Veil was staring at the picture of her parents, which was now folded and worn around the edges.<em>

_Despite her fatigue, Veil seemed to be glad. She folded up the photograph and tucked it into her saddlebag, which was sitting on the coffee table, half open. Inside were a few other photographs, and a couple of trinkets which she had picked up over the years._

_She threw the bags over her back and galloped out the door, glancing back one last time at what had been her home for the past three years. _

_Her armor, mounted on a stone mannequin, stared back at her, silent and brooding._

* * *

><p><em>A white room, with walls that softly glowed, illuminating the interior and revealing that there was no door. It was in this room that Veil now stood, facing a being cloaked in darkness and blue sparks. Or rather, it was trying to hide in the smoke and sparks, but Sirmyurin's burnt wings and abnormally sharp horn were still visible.<em>

"_Veil," he said. "I don't understand. Why are you leaving? If it's the assignments, we can always get you a new one. Please, try to reconsider."_

_Veil shook her head. "It's not the assignment, Sirmyurin. It's time for me to go." She wiped her eyes with a shaking hoof before continuing. "These three years have been the best I've had, but I miss everyone back in Cloudsdale so much, it breaks my heart. And…I can't do it anymore. It feels wrong to destroy the lives of others just so the Grand Master, who I've never even met, can have his way."_

"_So it _is _the tasks!" Veil's close companion seemed a little surprised. "I noticed how you were being less involved over the past few months, but you never told anyone. You could have told me. I could've helped you!"_

_Veil put her hoof down, wincing at a sudden ache in her right hoof as it took the brunt of the impact. _

"_I'm leaving. My contract ends today, and I can't take it anymore." The ebony pegasus, despite herself, began to cry. "I remember every single soul I've taken. Every single one. I don't want to interfere anymore."_

_Sirmyurin raised his left hoof. "It doesn't have to be this way-"_

_Veil pushed past him and ran for the far wall. A yellow portal opened up to greet her._

"_Veil, stop! It's Mauraxus, he's waiting there, he wants to-"_

_But Veil was already gone._

_Sirmyurin was left alone. He let the shroud of sparks and dark vapor dissipate. _

"_I'm sorry, Veil. I tried."_

_The Gigas bowed his head, summoning a scroll out of nothingness. _

_It was a record of some sort, inscribed on thick golden parchment. _

-Given Name: Veil

-Original World: Equestria (See subdivisions for more details)

-Species: Pegasus Pony

-Rank: Gigas Operative, Immigrant

-Skills: Basic Combat Skills, Flight, Augmented Sorcery, Manipulation of Reality, etc.

-Contract: Three pony years' service in exchange for rescuing from otherwise fatal manticore attack.

-Secondary Purpose: Bearer of Veyrul's vessel.

_There was much more to it, but Sirmyurin didn't need to read it. He knew what it said. He had written it, after all._

* * *

><p><em>Veil lay on the white floor as dark beings of all sorts crowded around her. Mauraxus was at the end of the room, checking through a list of some sort. His bony hands moved with unnatural speed as items were checked off or circled. <em>

"_Now, where is Sirmyurin?" the dracolich rasped. "He should be here to finish the memory wipe."_

* * *

><p><em>Veil was standing in a meadow of clouds. All around her were her classmates, her parents, everypony she had ever known in Ponyville. Veil began to run toward them, but one by one they faded away, dissolving into vapor before her very eyes. Finally, there was nopony left but her mother and father. <em>

"_Mom, Dad! What's happening to everypony? Where are they all going?"_

_Veil's parents said nothing, but embraced their lost filly with silent affection. Veil was surprised, but returned the hug just the same. _

"_I can come back to live with you all now. I'm coming home." Veil began to cry tears of joy. _

_Something was wrong here though. Veil suddenly noticed that the hooves and forelegs she was holding felt…papery and dry. The ebony pegasus opened her still-streaming eyes and looked upwards at her parents._

_And screamed. _

_What Veil was embracing was a pair of corpses, shriveled and dried up with age. As she watched, both the dead ponies began to lose their balance and slowly lean down on her, their dry bones creaking and feathers falling from their dried wings. _

_Veil threw herself out from under them with a flap of her wings. Her right foreleg gave a twinge of discomfort. The dead bodies crunched into the floor, which was now littered with the bones of the dead. As Veil hovered above the graveyard, she could hear footsteps. All around, hundreds of jet-black stone statues, brimming with energy, marched for her, arms and weapons outstretched. _

_Something touched Veil's hind legs and pulled her down. The pony found herself restrained by a massive hand, formed from the bones of her friends, her parents, of everypony she had known. The hand extended out of a golden clock face, whose hands were spinning fast enough to shred trees. The statues closed in, all ready to strike and finish the job. _

_Veil closed her eyes._

'I wish things could have been different.'

_Something touched her cheek. Veil opened an eye, then another. A dark blue pegasus mare, with a casually trimmed white and bright blue mane blowing in the wind, was reaching down to her. She seemed…oddly familiar. _

_Veil reached up, pulling her right foreleg from the skeletal hand's grasp, and took the other pony's hoof. There was a blinding flash from the contact point. Veil felt her restraints disappear. _

_The two of them were alone._

_Alone in the dark. _

_No. That wasn't right. _

_She, Veil, was in the dark. Her rescuer was standing in a circle of purest light._

"…_Thanks."_

_The dark blue pony looked at Veil strangely. _

"_You can't rely on yourself all the time." She said in a voice just like Veil's. "One day, you're going to hit something you can't save yourself from." The pony's tone was stern, but not unkind._

_Veil knelt down, tucking her front hooves under herself. "I know." She mumbled. "But everypony, every _being_ I've ever met has always let me down. How can…how do I move on from there?"_

_The dark blue pony stepped up in front of Veil and smiled compassionately at her. _

"_Learn to trust others, like you trusted me."_

_Veil was even more confused by this. "Trust you? I don't even know you! You just showed up and saved me, but I don't know you enough to trust you."_

_The dark blue pony turned away and began to circle around Veil, bathing her in light from all angles. She had no Cutie Mark. After three bouts of circling, the pony stopped in front of Veil and bowed her head._

"_But you do know me. You've known me your whole life. "_

"_No, I don't! I've never seen you before in my life!" Veil half shouted, half pleaded. "Who are you?"_

"_Look, there isn't much time left. Soon, Sirmyurin will be here to take your memory."_

_Veil looked conflicted. "He wouldn't do that! Stop messing with me and just give a straight answer!"_

_In the distance, a soft clanking could be heard, and as both ponies looked at the source, they saw, galloping at them, Veil's armor, glowing with an ominous red light._

"_I can't help you anymore," the dark blue pegasus said hurriedly. "I need you to know, Veil, that no matter what happens, no matter what you forget, that no one is perfect, and even if your friends and family let you down, never give up on them. Remember that for me."_

_Veil was dismayed as the stranger began to fly away, her wingbeats strong and measured._

"_Wait! Who are you! How do you know so much about me? What's your name?"_

_The other pony turned her body and spread her wings, exposing a Cutie Mark of three snowflakes being blown in the wind._

"_My name is Blizzard Gale, and I am you."_

_Then there was a terrible burst of pain in Veil's right foreleg, rendering her unconscious._

* * *

><p>"Blizzard Gale..."<p>

The name lingered on Twilight's lips. It felt, sounded so right.

The lexicon had reached its last pages, and was slowly shutting itself, having nothing else to show.

As the lexicon closed and fell down onto their deceased friend's pierced chest, there was a rumbling sound from the manor, and a tall skeletal creature in hooded black robes and a horned goat's skull for a head came bursting through the door, glowing scythe in its hand.

Fluttershy gasped. Sirmyurin did too.

The Void Nexus Magistrate bore down upon the seven equines, Sirmyurin stepping up to meet it, but inside, the alicorn held no hope of even withstanding a single blow from that weapon.

Then time stopped.

* * *

><p>Author's Notes<p>

Longest chapter yet in this story.

Thank you everypony for reading, and leave a review. Next chapter is coming up shortly.


	40. 38 Bargain

38 Bargain

* * *

><p>Well, I was down with a cold for a few days, but now I'm back, and I want to thank demon, Waffleman2211 (Nice to know you're back), ChrnoKeeper, Greenfeather of Moonclan (Wow, you want to draw this? Thank you!), The Random 1, Ninjagirl01 (The Gigas do have souls, but they have to follow Grimm's orders), and EpicSmiley12 for leaving a review.<p>

This chapter gets surreal.

* * *

><p>The Void Nexus Magistrate stopped its advance, lowering its scythe and floating to a standstill, but was otherwise unaffected by whatever spell was freezing the rest of the world. Strangely enough, Twilight and Sirmyurin were unaffected as well. Soulshatter, now Twilight's weapon, floated at her side, awaiting instruction from its new master.<p>

The rest of the world, however, including the rest of Twilight's friends, became motionless, the clouds in the sky freezing, the leaves falling from the trees suddenly grinding to a halt.

The Magistrate walked serenely toward Veil, or Blizzard Gale's body, bent over it, and touched the center of her forehead with the scythe's tip. There was a flash of red light, and the reaper stood back, its work complete.

Out of the deceased pony's body rose a transparent blue ghost, head first, followed by front hooves, body, flanks, hind legs, and finally, a striped tail.

Veil's soul detached itself from her ravaged shell, floating up into the air, then touching down on the grass without a sound. The soul's appearance was unblemished, perfect and unmarked, just the way she had appeared at the lexicon's start. She smiled at her two living friends, but seemed unable to say anything aloud.

Twilight and Sirmyurin took a step toward the Magistrate, but it suddenly raised its scythe aggressively, warning them to stay back. Red sparks sun ominously around the weapon, giving off a dark glow.

The alicorn's head twitched, his ears folding back and his pupils dilating.

Twilight noticed his discomfort. "What's going on?" she whispered.

The alicorn shook his head, trying to clear it. "Something's not right…we shouldn't be seeing this…the departure of a soul is a revered ritual, and no being is ever allowed to see a soul leave…unless…"

The hum of energy filled the frozen air, causing Twilight and Sirmyurin to look around warily, the unicorn readying Soulshatter.

And then, right in between the Magistrate and the two equines, a yellow portal opened.

* * *

><p>A tall being in a hooded black coat with ridiculously long tails stepped out. It wore armored gauntlets, and the hood concealed its face leaving only shadows under the cowl. Its feet were clawed and bare, three toes each, tipped with a sharp talon. The creature was carrying a small brown bag under its right arm.<p>

"Bargain." It said in a cool, refined voice, facing the Magistrate, which had opened a swirling red portal, ready to ferry the soul off to the Void Nexus.

And, to the shock of the two equines, the reaper stopped, turning to the figure in black. The scythe in its bony hands was stabbed into the floor, where it stood quivering slightly and sucked the life out of the grass around it.

The figure in black and the Magistrate walked over to a secluded corner of the courtyard, the newcomer whispering and gesturing to the reaper, the reaper not doing much except nodding and rubbing its bony hands together, like it was washing up. The figure in black produced a scroll from the depths of its brown bag, which the Magistrate read over with seemingly great interest.

After a few more muttered words, the being in black suddenly whipped a smaller, shinier satchel from inside its original bag, tossing it to the Magistrate. The reaper caught it deftly, and vanished into the red portal, leaving Blizzard's soul behind.

"Now," the hooded one said, the space below the hood moving a little as it spoke. "I think we can come to an understanding, don't you?"

An ivory table, long and businesslike, was conjured into existence, and laid on the grass. Three chairs weaved themselves out of blue sparks, dropping into place silently. The creature in black took a seat at the end of the table, motioning for Sirmyurin and Twilight to come and sit with it. As the two equines assembled at either side, the pony soul that was still standing behind the stranger rippled, turning into an orb the size of a tennis ball.

"There we go, easy transport." The newcomer said, tucking the soul into a bell-shaped sleeve. Twilight made a grab for it, but the hooded being was too quick. "Ah-ah, no touching until the bargain's over, yes?" Its cool voice completely unconcerned.

Twilight slumped back into her armchair, eyes locked onto the sleeve which Blizzard Gale's soul had been tucked into.

"Let's get on with it then," The being in black said cheerily, summoning a quill pen and paper. "I understand that something went wrong, and your friend here died. Is that correct?"

"Yes." Twilight answered sharply. "What do you-"

"I ask the questions here." The hooded being retorted, checking off something on the paper. "Now, second question. Would you like to have her back as a living, breathing, being?"

Sirmyurin sat up straight, reaching for Twilight. "Don't do it. This isn't-"

"Quiet, please. I'm trying to conduct business here." And armored gauntlet waved in the air, and Sirmyurin fell silent, looking apprehensively at the extended index finger. "Now, where was I…oh yes. Would you like your friend Veil back?"

Twilight scrutinized the hooded being carefully. If it wasn't for the exposed feet, she would have thought that there was really no body inside. There was definitely authority in its manner, but she didn't trust it an inch.

"Well? It's a simple yes or no question."

"I guess I would…" Twilight said, watching the quill pen carefully as it scratched across the paper, writing a single line of text.

"Excellent. Now, before I propose this marvelous deal, I am bound by law to answer three questions. Not my rules, but there you go. You have three questions about this deal, or anything, and I'll answer to the best of my ability, just to make sure you aren't being cheated."

"Oh, and you also have a time limit of ten of your minutes. Starting now."

* * *

><p>Twilight's mind raced. This was just too weird, but it also seemed strangely familiar, like she had seen this happen before.<p>

"Why are you doing this?" it seemed like a good starter.

The hooded being leaned closer to the unicorn's face. "Why, it's standard procedure. This is the third time our…organization had made contact with this world in this way. I thought you'd be used to it, but it looks like I was wrong."

"Third time?"

"Oh, yes. The second time was with the very pony you're attempting to get a deal for, and the first time…what _was_ the first time?" The armored gauntlets fished around inside the voluminous coat for a moment, bringing out a black book. A lexicon.

"Hmmm…yes, this is it." It said, thumbing through the book. "Exactly five hundred and sixty-two of your years ago, an operative contacted one 'Nightmare Moon' and bargained for her freedom. Sadly, Miss Moon didn't have a whole lot to offer, plus she tried to murder the operative, so that deal was never concluded. Ah well." It gave a small exhalation of mock disappointment. "We can't seal every deal."

Twilight's face morphed into an expression of shock once she realized what this creature was talking about. "You tried to release Nightmare Moon?" she asked in shock. "Are you crazy?"

"No, no. We just saw how…lonely she was on the moon, so we wanted to let her out, no harm done at all. It's rather simple, really. Eight minutes." The being in black said, checking a table clock that had just appeared out of nowhere.

Sirmyurin put both hooves on the table and began to ask, "What's your purpo-" only to be interrupted again by a waving finger.

"I thought I told you to be quiet." The creature's voice was a little tetchier this time. "I'm _trying_ to follow orders here, like you should have done, or I wouldn't even need to be here. Now shush." The hooded face turned back to Twilight.

The unicorn's next question was "What is this organization you're from? Is Sirmyurin from it? What about the other two?"

The hooded being clapped its gauntleted hands, sending a slight shockwave through the air. "Excellent question, Miss Sparkle. Sadly, I'm not allowed to tell you about our organization in great detail. I will tell you this though. We are here to help. If you're in trouble, and your back's to the wall, and one of us happens to be watching, and we feel motivated enough, and think you're worthy of our attention, and we can get there in time, it is guaranteed that we can cut a deal. You're very lucky, once you consider the millions of worlds I could be at right now." The creature adjusted its coat sleeve before continuing, working out a slight wrinkle. "As for Sirmyurin, if he keeps behaving like this, he won't be with us much longer. The one known as Mauraxus is currently…incapacitated, but Faedran, you'll be happy to hear, made it back safe and sound. Any other questions? Or can we just cut to the deal? I can't stop time forever."

Twilight looked at Sirmyurin for some sign of confirmation. The alicorn shook his head ever so slightly. She looked back to the creature in black. It nodded at her, pulling Blizzard Gale's soul from its sleeve and wiggling it between its armored fingers. Twilight Sparkle took a deep breath.

"Let's do it."

* * *

><p>The hooded being's demeanor changed to a more serious poise, sitting up straight in its chair and laying the soul on the table, then pulling gout a scroll from within the depths of the brown bag.<p>

"Hmm. This is a complex case, but I think we can fix this quite simply." It muttered. "How much for the crown?" it asked abruptly, pointing at the Element of Magic crown that Twilight had left on the grass.

"What? It's not for sale! Why?"

"Oh, we collect magical artifacts, and we're instructed to always be on the lookout for more. How about a thousand gold pieces?"

Twilight was outraged. "It's not for sale! Will you start making sense, I thought you were here to help!"

The hooded creature seemed confused. "What's not for sale?" it asked, setting the scroll down.

"The crown!"

"What crown? You're selling a crown?"

"The crown you're talking about, it's not for sale!"

"I'm not talking about a crown, you are."

"I didn't-" Twilight stopped and glared at the being in black. She had the impression that under the hood, it was grinning at her. "Just get on with it." She grumbled.

"That's the spirit! Now, I'm not going to sugar coat this for you…do you have sugar here? I don't know if you understand that expression. Anyway, what I mean to say is, this is not a simple task. A full restoration of the dead is…tricky, but I can do it if you have something to trade for it. Are you with me so far?"

Twilight looked at the ruined body of her friend, laying on the grass with the lexicon on its chest. "Will you restore her back to the way she was?" she asked suspiciously.

"Well, that depends, do you want her in black, or her original color? I can do both." Blue sparks crawled out of the hooded being's sleeves, winding around its polished gauntlets.

"Her original color." Twilight confirmed after a short while of thought.

Sirmyurin couldn't contain himself any longer. "Please, don't do this. I'll-"

"Shut. Your. Mouth. Please." The hooded being growled, turning its cowled face to the alicorn. "You are already in deep trouble. Don't make it worse for yourself. Anyway," it continued as though nothing had happened, "I'll restore your pony friend to her original state, but you must understand, there's Court magic involved, and if there's any of that left, I can't fix it. Whatever rises up from the dead is yours to care for. Do you accept that responsibility?"

Twilight nodded. "I accept." She said with assurance.

"Wonderful! I'm glad we're able to discuss this like civilized beings. Now, for the matter of payment. Do you have…" the creature ran some quick calculations. "…Five million gold pieces?"

Twilight's jaw dropped. "F-five million bits?" she asked, trembling at the sheer magnitude of the price.

The being shook its hooded head. "No, no. Five million _gold pieces_. That would translate to five million two hundred and sixty three thousand, nine hundred and forty nine of your 'bits'. What an interesting thing to call currency, 'bits'."

"That's ridiculous!"

The being in black leaned back in its chair. Twilight had the impression it was smirking at her. "That's the price. What, you think reviving a dead being is cheap? Death is not cheap, and that's my price. I'm not backing down from that."

"Five…million?" Twilight said again, as though repeating it would make it less expensive somehow.

"My final offer. Take it or leave it."

Twilight's mind reeled. There was no way she could gather that much money in her entire lifetime, let alone in the short time she had now! There had to be some kind of alternative, some other way to give Blizzard Gale a second chance at life.

"Is there anything else you'll take?" the unicorn inquired.

The hooded being seemed to have been waiting for this question, as it leaned forward with surprising speed, suddenly pressing its nonexistent face almost up to Twilight's muzzle.

"Why yes, yes there is." It whispered, a slight breath of cold air escaping the confines of the hood.

Twilight backed off a bit. "What is it? What do you want?"

"I want…your soul."

* * *

><p>Author's Notes.<p>

Well, aren't they in a pickle?

Leave a review, and maybe give Twilight some money?


	41. 39 The Exchange

39 The Exchange

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><p>You guys are so kind, willing to donate money to Twilight just so she can complete this deal. Sadly, I don't know how to mail money to Ponyville (If I did, I'd mail myself there). But thank you Greenfeather of Moonclan (The crown only seems to be worth 1000 gold pieces, so still a bit to go), E-Scope5426 (The story isn't done yet, but I'm happy that you're enjoying it), Waffleman2211, ChrnoKeeper (I doubt Celestia knows about all this, since Sirmyurin blocked all of Spike's letters earlier, I bet he regrets that now), EpicSmiley12 (You know where to earn bits? Tell me!), Ninjagirl01 (I've got a feeling you don't much like this hooded operative), and The Random 1 for leaving your reviews, and thank you everypony who ever left one for helping me reach over 100 reviews! *Tosses flowers*<p>

* * *

><p>"I want…your soul."<p>

Instantly, Twilight knew what the hooded being's plan was to begin with. If that lexicon was anything like Blizzard's had been, then if the hooded being had done its research, it already knew that she couldn't afford what it was asking. Which meant…

The being in black had wanted her soul at the start.

The being in question leaned back in its chair in a self-satisfied manner, fishing around in its brown bag and tapping its raptor like feet on a rock in the grass. Tap. Tap. Tap. Her friend's soul rolled on the table, coming to a rest against the being's open lexicon.

Twilight looked at Sirmyurin for support, but the alicorn seemed to have frozen in place, yellow cat eyes fixed on the hooded being's hands. They were laid one on top of the other, armored fingers gently undulating, making slight scratching sounds, deafening in the time-stopped silence.

And not once, not for a moment, did Twilight feel the being's gaze leave her face.

She longed to tear the hood off, to see just what was lurking in the shadows under the cowl. But something told the unicorn that doing that would not be a good idea.

Unconsciously, Soulshatter began to levitate at Twilight's side, morphing into a long, slim weapon. She felt her mental link to the sword, her anger and fury feeding into the black metal. She felt the whispers of the souls trapped in the blade, and how they pushed against the metal coffin they were encased in, struggling to get out. She wasn't sure that she liked it, but Twilight had bigger problems at the moment.

"Have you made your decision?" the hooded being asked silkily. "I'm not forcing you to do anything, but if you don't want to go through with this deal, I understand completely. I'll just take the soul and be on my way…" the hooded one pushed its chair back and began to get up, snatching the soul off the table.

"Wait!" Twilight cried, putting her forelegs on the ivory tabletop. The being in black paused, turning its hooded face in her direction.

"Yes? Have you reconsidered?"

Twilight bit her lip. "I need some time to think with my friends. Can you give me twenty minutes?" she asked.

The hooded being sat back down. "You have twenty five minutes. No more, no less. After that, I will be departing. Is that agreeable?"

The unicorn swallowed. She had no plan, but this was the only thing she had been able to come up with.

"Can you unfreeze the rest of my friends so I can talk with them?" Twilight looked at the rest of the Elements of Harmony, stuck in their positions, staring at the Magistrate that was no longer there. The hooded being tucked an armored hand under the hood, as if it was scratching its nonexistent chin.

"No."

Twilight turned to her alicorn friend. He looked petrified, but met Twilight's gaze when she turned to him.

"I need to talk with him." Twilight said.

The hooded being said nothing, but waved a hand dismissively, keeping the other tightly wrapped around Blizzard's soul orb. Twilight took that as a yes, and led the stunned alicorn over to a secluded corner of the courtyard. She contemplated running, but when she reached the courtyard wall, she saw what looked like a shimmering barrier surrounding the manor. There was no escape.

* * *

><p>Sirmyurin and Twilight hunkered down behind a fallen stone griffin, the unicorn having to tap Sirmyurin to get his attention.<p>

"What's wrong?' she asked. It made her uneasy to see the normally cheery if sometimes mischievous Sirmyurin looking like he'd seen a ghost.

The alicorn took a few shallow breaths before answering. "I can hear her…" he whispered.

Twilight took her friend's face in her hooves. "Hear who?"

"Veil. I can hear her soul's voice. It's…tormenting." The white alicorn covered his ears with his malleable mane, but his facial expression did not improve.

"You can hear Blizzard Gale's soul?"

"You might know her as Blizzard Gale, but in the three years that we knew each other, she was Veil to me." The yellow eyes gazed off into the distance, a tear of remembrance coming to the surface of each sunny orb. "It was one of the best times of my existence. We were…I suppose you would have called us friends."

"So you want me to take this deal, then?" Twilight said warily. If Sirmyurin really wanted Veil, or Blizzard, whoever it was, maybe they could work together.

"What, no! My advice: leave this alone and never come back to this manor again. There are some things you should never see, and that guy is one of them." Sirmyurin pointed a hoof at the still-seated figure. It was tossing the soul to itself in a manner that spoke of centuries of practice, letting the orb fall just enough to almost slip out of reach, then grabbing it anyway.

"Who is he? Why are you so scared of him?" Twilight asked quietly. The alicorn's back legs were trembling uncontrollably.

Sirmyurin gulped. "Twilight. You may think I'm rather powerful. Compared to you, maybe. But you must understand. I've only been working for them for only about six hundred of your years. I'm…not that high ranking. But that operative…I don't know what rank he is, if he's an officer or not, but I can see all the enchantments on his coat alone, and that speaks volumes. He…it…I don't know how powerful he is, but just stopping time alone… There's something he's not telling you. Do yourself and your friends a favor. Run away and don't look back. "

Twilight's face hardened. "No. I'm not leaving Blizzard's soul in that thing's hands. I owe her that much."

Sirmyurin grabbed Twilight's hooved with his mane. "Listen to me! Veil's soul is valuable to them. If it wasn't, that operative wouldn't even be here. They won't break it. But yours…"

"What about my soul? I never even said I was going to trade it over!" Twilight tried to pull away, only for her face to be almost pressed against the alicorn's in his urgency.

"Did you notice how I kept watching the gauntlets?"

Twilight nodded, her mane flopping over one eye.

Sirmyurin gazed at the ivory table. "I thought there was something odd about them…so I kept making him point at me, and I saw it."

The alicorn's yellow eyes narrowed. "Those gauntlets are covered with soul residue. To the trained eye, it sparkles. Whoever that is, has a habit of crushing souls into powder with those gauntlets. That's a generally forbidden practice. But he's completely relaxed, and unafraid of reparations, making him…"

Sirmyurin's mouth dropped into a grim slash. "…a special case. If you hand yourself over, I have a bad feeling that's what'll happen to you."

"Ten minutes!" The figure shouted over, the unusually cool voice traveling effortlessly over the courtyard. It was resting its feet on the table's surface, one leg on top of the other.

Sirmyurin stared into Twilight's purple eyes. "Listen to me. I want her back too, but I can't do it. I can't interfere with your choices in life, but…Veil's-Blizzard Gale's already gone. She died. You're still living. Consider that."

"Veil may be gone, but Blizzard Gale is still here. I can save her." Twilight started to move back to the table, Soulshatter floating by her side, the unicorn's face unusually grim. "And if he refuses, I'll shatter his soul just like I did to Mauraxus."

Twilight felt a hoof on her shoulder. Sirmyurin's voice whispered in her ear. "If you do that, you're already his."

Twilight, stricken by doubt and despair, shrugged him off and walked back to the table, letting the alicorn follow her at a distance, head bent and eyes wet.

* * *

><p>"Ah, you're back! And before time's up, too, I like that. Have you come to a decision then?" the hooded being asked amicably, taking its taloned feet off the tabletop.<p>

"Well, I guess you could say that…" Twilight answered coldly, her eyes fixed on the soul clasped in the being's gauntlet.

"Excellent! Did you happen to remember the whereabouts of a hidden stash of gold?"

"No."

The hooded being tucked the valuable soul into its coat sleeve once again, leaning back in its high-backed chair. "Then I take it you want to give up your soul."

Twilight's mouth twitched, Soulshatter vibrating on the grass as she restrained the blade with her will.

"No."

The being in black stood up, its chair vaporizing as it toppled to the ground. "Then we have nothing further to discuss."

A shining yellow portal opened in the air, the being in black strolling for it leisurely, leaving Twilight and Sirmyurin at the ivory table.

Every step it took separated Blizzard's soul from her home world, and took it toward wherever the yellow portal led. Sirmyurin rested his head on his hooves and began to mutter something. Twilight, however, only felt ashamed and angry, ashamed because she felt selfish for not taking her friend's place, angry because she had been forced into an impossible situation.

Just before the being's foot entered the portal, Twilight gave in and with a single thought, launched Soulshatter, the blade of a hundred thousand souls, the blade that had felled the mighty dracolich Mauraxus, at the back of the being's head with all her magical might.

* * *

><p>Soulshatter, black as night, rushed at its target, slicing the very air apart as it flew.<p>

The hooded being did not turn around, but kept walking at the same, steady pace, seemingly unaware of the soul breaking weapon that had been thrown at it.

Then it tilted its head to one side, lifted an armored hand, and deftly caught the sword between its index and middle finger, stopping it completely. The hooded one turned its head slightly, displaying the shadows beneath the cowl.

"Well, well, well." The hooded being said quietly, the shadows in the courtyard growing and stretching. "It seems we _do_ have something to discuss after all."

And a ball of bright blue sparks condensed in its other hand, crackling with magical force.

* * *

><p>Author's Notes<p>

Oh, Twilight, what have you done?

Will Twilight Sparkle survive this? I don't know, but could you leave a review anyway?


	42. 40 The Offer

40-The Offer

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><p>Well, a very big thank you to EpicSmiley12, The Random 1, um...Guest, Ninjagirl01, FireflyXZ, uh...Guest, and ChrnoKeeper for elaving your reviews. I'm very sorry if I didn't credit you, so please sign your reviews! I love reading them as much as you enjoy reading this story!<p>

Nuts, this chapter was hard to write. I had a whole other version of this, but it's much grimmer. Maybe I'll upload it as an extra or something.

And hey, 40 Chapter Milestone! Thank you all for helping me get this far!

* * *

><p>Twilight and Sirmyurin cringed as the hooded being turned to face them, the ball of energy in its open hand revolving slowly. The being walked over to the table, then threw the spell at the floor. A grand throne, black inlaid with gold, sprang up from the ground. The being slouched over to the throne and sat down, pulling papers from its brown bag as it settled in. Soulshatter, still clamped between the hooded one's fingers, was dropped onto the table, where it lay motionless.<p>

"Ah. Here we are…" a gauntlet closed over a particular sheet of paper, one with a wax seal on the bottom that was stamped with a stylized rune. "I'm ever so sorry I walked out on you just now, but how was I to know you weren't done bargaining?"

It held up the paper for Twilight and Sirmyurin to see. It was a poster of some sort, with a meticulously sketched picture of Soulshatter on the top half, the bottom half covered with lines of mystic text.

"Lost," Sirmyurin translated. "One magical sword. Goes by the same of Soulshatter. Distinguishing features, black blade, contains over a hundred thousand souls. Speak to Officer Grimm in M-umm…the Grand Master's realm for inquiries. Reward-Oh, my. That's a lot of gold."

The hooded being nodded and rolled up the poster. "This poster has been distributed among every operative in this subdivision of the outer realms, and they are all looking for it. And it turns out you have it! I think we can negotiate for this."

"Negotiate?" Twilight asked. It was a slight shock to go from thinking she was going to die back to normal conversation.

"Indeed. Soulshatter belongs to Mauraxus, but for some reason, it has changed its allegiance to you. Care to explain?"

Sirmyurin raised a hoof. "Well, Twilight here killed Mauraxus with Soulshatter. I don't know if that's what you want to know, but if its owner is dead, then by right, it's Twilight's sword now. "

The hooded one looked pensively at the sword. "A hundred thousand souls…" it muttered under its breath. "And so much residue on the blade…" It straightened up. "Tell you what: I'll buy that sword off you for fifty gold pieces per soul. It's a very good deal. That comes to about five million gold pieces. How about it?"

Twilight could hardly believe it. All this time, she had had the means to pay for Blizzard's revival the whole time? She looked at Sirmyurin, who was grinning.

"Hold on!" Twilight spoke up. "I don't want your money! What I do want is Blizzard Gale restored back to life. If you do that, I'll give you the sword. How about that?"

The hooded being didn't hesitate. "Deal. Now, sign here, and I'll get right on it-oh?"

* * *

><p>A scroll had just popped out of thin air, the wax seal bearing the same rune from the wanted poster. The hooded being plucked it from the air, breaking the seam and reading it carefully. It looked at Sirmyurin with its shadowed face, then went back to reading.<p>

When it set the scroll down, the hooded being seemed a little more somber.

"Sirmyurin." It said gravely. "Faedran has just completed his report to Grimm. She knows of your insubordination here."

The alicorn's face fell. "I only did what my heart told me to. Nothing more."

"Well, yes, but you forget, Grimm thinks…differently. She just sent this through," the hooded one waved the scroll. "And it says that you are sentenced to…"

"But he's done nothing wrong!" Twilight blurted out.

The being in black shook its cowled head. "You might not think so, but if Sirmyurin had followed orders, Mauraxus might still be operational, Faedran would still have his pieces, and I wouldn't need to be here, bargaining with you. He's caused us quite a bit of trouble, and cost us quite a bit of money too. Anyway, as I was saying…'

"But you can't! You can't punish him!"

"Twilight." Sirmyurin said gently, holding her back with his mane. The unicorn looked at her friend, at his cracked horn and his yellow eyes. "It's okay. Don't argue. Veil's going to be alright. That's all that matters."

Twilight laid a hoof on her friend's back, worried about what kind of punishment he would receive, but did not speak again, nodding to the hooded being.

"Thank you. As I was saying, you disobeyed orders, and are thus sentenced to a session extensive counseling with Court member Nightfall. You are to report to Storm Castle at precisely three hours past sundown every night until you are deemed fit to be released for duty. Failure to comply will result in your pay being docked. Is that clear?"

"Wait, I'm still getting paid?" Sirmyurin asked in surprise.

"Of course you are. In full, once you report back." The hooded being folded up the message and tucked it into its bag.

"But you just said I disobeyed orders-"

"Just because you didn't follow orders doesn't mean you were wrong." The hooded being said quietly, stacking the papers and putting most of them away. "Sometimes, you have to do what is right. This just happened to not work out, but you acted admirably. Grimm will have your reward ready when you report back."

"Who's Nightfall? That's interesting name." Twilight asked.

The hooded being shifted slightly, picking up the table clock and checking it. "We never refer to Nightfall by first name. But I cannot tell you more, as my time is running out here. Now, I need you to sign this paper, Miss Sparkle."

It held out a paper that was written in a foreign language. The unicorn passed it to Sirmyurin, who read over it quickly before giving it back.

"It's a proof of purchase form." He said, still looking dazed. "It says that you handed over Soulshatter in exchange for Ve-Blizzard's revival. There's no other catch."

"See?" the hooded being said cheerily. "We sorted this whole matter out splendidly. Now, how do I go about doing this? Oh, yes. First, we need the soul…wait. I need to check the body. Find out when to drop off the cheesecake..."

And without any further ado, the hooded being walked briskly over to the body of Blizzard Gale and kneeled over it, its armored hands glowing as it ran them over the corpse.

* * *

><p>Two minutes of inspecting later, Twilight watched as the hooded being strode back, looking at its lexicon.<p>

"Alright." It said grimly. "I'm not going to sugar-coat this for you, even if you are my new client. There's a lot of residual magic in that body that may interfere with the revival spell. Also, if the resurrection works, it's almost certain that even if what rises still has a personality, there will be some…abnormalities. Are you willing to accept that?"

"I am." Twilight said firmly.

"Good! Now, I'll cast the spell, but it won't take effect until the time stop goes down. That will happen when we depart."

"Wait, 'we'?" Twilight asked the hooded being, who was checking its lexicon again. It looked up at the interruption, snapping the book shut.

"Oh, yes. Sirmyurin must come back with me to the Grand Master's realm to report. He has a lot of explaining to do, don't you?" The last part was directed at the alicorn, who did not look guilty in the slightest.

The being in black knelt next to Blizzard's body and gently inserted the soul into the still-warm flesh. It sank in without a hitch. Next, a cocoon of blue sparks flowed out of the being's gauntlets and enveloped the body completely, leaving nothing but a shining blue bubble on the grass. The hooded on twitched its left index finger, and the sparks stopped flowing. It stood up, holding the snapped off shard of metal that had been the death of their friend and tucking it into the brown bag, then stowing Soulshatter in there as well. Twilight felt her mental link with the sword break as it entered the satchel's confines. It was no longer hers.

"Well, that's it. I'll just be leaving now, and thank you again for your patronage, Miss Sparkle. I look forward to doing business with you again."

"Really?" Twilight squawked, her mane standing on end. The unicorn's head began to spin as she imagined the trouble such a powerful being could cause.

"No." it replied flatly. "Sirmyurin, let us be leaving. If you want to say anything, say it now, while I disable the time field."

Twilight and Sirmyurin looked at each other, alicorn and unicorn. Although they had been enemies at the start, they had become friends. And that made parting so much harder.

"I…" Twilight began. "Thank you, Sirmyurin, for helping us." She began to tear up, vision blurring.

Sirmyurin reached over and wiped the tears from Twilight's eyes, giving her a sad smile. "Thank _you_, Twilight Sparkle, for showing me what truly matters."

"Will you come see us again?" the lavender unicorn asked, trying desperately not to break down in tears.

"I'll try. But even if we never meet again, I hope you'll think of me every now and then, as I will think of you." The alicorn began to turn away, heading for a yellow portal that the hooded being had conjured. "Goodbye, my friend, and take good care of Blizzard Gale for me."

"I-I promise I will."

Twilight waved as both of the otherworldly beings stepped through the portal, away from Equestria. The last thing she saw before it closed was a yellow, cat-like eye looking back at her.

A single teardrop rimmed its edge.

* * *

><p>As soon as the interdimensional gate was fully closed, time snapped back into action, Rarity, Applejack, Rainbow Dash, Fluttershy, and Pinkie Pie gasping as they unfroze. They appeared disoriented, and Twilight herself felt woozy as her surroundings began moving again, although judging from her friends' reactions, she had had it easy.<p>

"Twilight! What's going on-ow!"

"R-r-reaper!"

"Oh, I have the most awful headache…"

"Woo! The world's spinning!"

"Aw ponyfeathers, what happened!"

Twilight grinned and galloped over to her friends, who were all lying on the floor holding their heads in their hooves.

"Girls! I did it!" she announced gleefully.

"Did what?" Rainbow Dash asked, groggily making her way to the lavender unicorn's side.

"Look!" Twilight pointed.

* * *

><p>The cocoon of magic was gone. In its place was a dark blue pegasus pony, passed out but otherwise unharmed. She still wore the clawed bracer and wing guards, but now they looked a whole lot less threatening. Her chest rose and fell slowly as she breathed. The once pure black mane and tail were now light blue and white striped, and even her flank bore a different Cutie Mark. Twilight felt a slight surge of gratitude to that hooded being. It had certainly been as good as its word, at least with the appearance factor.<p>

The prone pegasus' eyelids twitched, slowly opening to reveal a set of icy blue eyes.

"Tw-Twilight?" she whispered.

The lavender unicorn levitated Blizzard Gale to her hooves. "Yes, Blizzard. It's me. You're alive."

Blizzard Gale began to cry, crystalline teardrops leaking down her face.

"Darling, what's wrong?" Rarity asked with concern, swooping in and hugging the weeping pegasus.

"N-nothing. Nothing's wrong." Blizzard choked out. "I'm just so happy to have such good friends."

* * *

><p>Author's Notes<p>

Blizzard Gale is alive! However, not everything is as it should be.

When you leave a review, could you sign it so I can credit you in the next chapter?


	43. 41 A Fresh Start

41-A Fresh Start

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><p>Thank you to Ninjagirl01 (The Hooded One isn't done yet...), Waffleman2211, The Random 1 (Soulshatter's actually worth a bit more than 5 million...), and FireflyXZ for leaving your reviews!<p>

* * *

><p>Sugarcube Corner was a blaze of activity, as Pinkie Pie had invited everypony she knew (practically the whole town of Ponyville) to Blizzard Gale's 'Welcome to Ponyville' party. The dark blue peagsus had been overwhelmed with the amount of hospitality shown to begin with, but soon began to ask about the town, a subject that Granny Smith was only too happy to talk about.<p>

Later that night in the library, the Elements of Harmony and Blizzard met together, at Twilight's request. There were still a few things that needed to be addressed and brought to light.

Blizzard was the first to speak. "There's something that's been bothering me." She was still wearing her bracer, but had left the wing guards at the front door.

"Yes?" Pinkie asked, juggling some oranges.

"Well, how did you survive Talonbite? When the door shut, Twilight, you were about to be jumped! How did you get out of it?"

Twilight smiled at the other five ponies.

"Well, it went like this…"

* * *

><p><em>Twilight stared at Talonbite, the monstrous living statue diving at her. Sparks cascaded about it, flowing around the marble teeth. <em>

_And then a spike of glittering ice stabbed into the stone beast, shattering against its side and knocking it into the closed door. One of its spikes had broken, and it was cracking in other places. _

_Twilight rolled over and flicked her gaze at the stairway, where the shard of ice had come from. Her heart gave a leap._

_Unbelievably, against all her expectations, her friends had arrived to save her! Rainbow Dash and Fluttershy, both flying above Rarity, Pinkie, and, amazingly, Applejack's heads! _

"_Hold on, Twi! We're here to help ya!" the farm mare hollered. The five ponies took position around Twilight, forming a protective circle around her. _

_Talonbite growled, lunging at them and pouncing once more, but this time was hit square in the jaw by a stunning blow from Applejack's rear hooves. A _crack_ was heard as the orange pony's hooves connected with Talonbite's lower jaw, fracturing it. Cracks began spreading around its head, then all over its body._

_The statue belched a blue fireball, but thanks to a protective spell from Rarity, the attack never made contact. Talonbite's orange eyes flickered, the light in them dying, then re-igniting at random. _

_For the first time, the gray beast seemed…afraid. _

_Rainbow Dash flew at high speed at the statue, which ducked, but not quickly enough to avoid getting struck on the arm with a fearsome left hook from the cyan pegasus. _

_It was too much. Talonbite, now crumbling in multiple places, fell to the black marble floor, eyes flickering on and off. It tried to crawl away, but found its exit blocked by the door that Twilight had sealed._

_Applejack walked calmly over to the damaged monster and stared into its eyes. _

_Then she bucked it in the face as hard as she could._

_Talonbite exploded with a bloodcurdling scream, showering them all with gray powder and debris, leaving nothing but a pair of orange gemstones lying in the center of the explosion's radius._

_Twilight turned to her friends._

"_Girls! I thought you were all gone!"_

"_Well, that was true." Pinkie Pie said, hugging the lavender unicorn. "We almost gave up, but we decided…"_

_Rainbow Dash flapped her wings nervously. "Well, I gave up. I was ready to let Veil get taken when Fluttershy found me. She…reminded me what friendship was."_

_Fluttershy bowed her head. "It was awful. I saw Veil…kill a pride of manticores in cold blood. I left the manor, but…I realized that, if she was so hurt that she would kill manticores, then leaving her would only make things worse, not better. I…found Rainbow, and told her to come help me."_

"_Yeah." The cyan pegasus said. "Mauraxus showed me a memory of Veil betraying someone and letting them get killed. I admit…it got to me. I…hated her for it. But Fluttershy was right. If Veil was really so far gone, then the only cure was kindness, not abandoning her. So that's why I'm here."_

_Rarity dusted herself off, removing the last of the gray powder from her elegantly coiffed mane. "Well, they found me looking into the wells of Ponyville, and I told them about the plan to poison the water. However, after listening to their accounts, I soon realized that it was a trick, and agreed to go back to the manor with all haste."_

"_And I met up with them in the first floor hallway!" Pinkie said cheerfully. "I mean, I was falling and falling, and then suddenly, I woke up in the tea room! Isn't that weird? But I didn't know what to do, so I decided to head back to Ponyville when I bumped into those three!"_

_Twilight turned to Applejack. "We thought you were dead! How did you survive?"_

_The farm mare's hat was missing a chunk, and her hooves were bleeding from fighting Talonbite, but she otherwise seemed okay. "Well, sugarcube, Ah'm not quite sure. The last thing Ah remember was that thing" She waved a hoof at Talonbite's remains. "gettin' ready to bite me or claw mah head off, but for some reason, it didn't. It sure gave me a solid hit on the head though. Next thing I know, Pinkie's shaking me awake, and we're off ta find you and Veil. Where is she, by the way?"_

_Twilight turned to the door, disarming the locking spell. The stairs beyond were dark and foreboding, but as the six ponies charged up them, it grew lighter. _

_When they arrived at the top, the six mares could hear screams of pain and clanging of metal on metal. Rainbow Dash pounded on the door, but it was sealed tight. _

"_Darn it! How are we going to get through? Veil's getting hurt in there!"_

_Twilight's unlocking spells rebounded harmlessly off the door. Applejack's hooves did the same. There was nothing they could do but stand there and listen to what sounded like Veil getting butchered by some unknown assailant. The sounds of the battle were strangely clear, and every now and then, they would hear the voice of Mauraxus and a deeper, authoritative voice that they guessed to be the superior._

_Then, out of the blue, Veil's voice, faint and desperate, reached their ears._

"Rainbow…Pinkie…Rarity…Applejack…Fluttershy…Twilight…Ahh! Do…you…know…you ….are…all…my…my…very…best…friends."

"_Veil…"_

_They were her friends. _

_Friends stood up for each other, supported each other in times of need._

_A simple door was stopping them from lending that aid, a door that would crumble before the power of friendship. Twilight, Fluttershy, Rainbow, Pinkie, Applejack, and Rarity's manes whipped and blew in the wind as a familiar, all-consuming power began to fill them, incarnating itself on their bodies ._

_The Elements of Harmony._

* * *

><p>"…and that's what happened." Twilight finished.<p>

"Wow…" Blizzard murmured, rubbing her right foreleg. "You really did care, even after seeing what I did. You all are…"

"Amazing, we know." Rainbow Dash finished, putting on a pair of sunglasses.

The seven of them shared a laugh, simply appreciating each other's company.

After it was quiet again, Blizzard spoke up again.

"Twilight, you said that there would be side effects to my revival."

"Well, that's what Mr. Hood said. Have you found any?"

Blizzard Gale slowly unclasped her bracer, letting the armor fall to the library floor. Underneath, her right foreleg was the same uniform dark blue, right up until the point where her leg bent in the middle. From there to the floor, it was black, pure black in a flame-like pattern.

"My foreleg…it's crippled. I can't walk on it without the bracer…" The dark blue pegasus tried to demonstrate, but even after a few steps, she found herself almost falling over. "It won't take my weight."

"Oh, dear!" Fluttershy gasped. "I'll get you to the hospital right away-"

"Forget it." Blizzard said in a resigned tone. "I doubt they'd be able to do anything. Anyway, it's a small price to pay for a second shot at life. I've still got my wings."

Rarity had been peering at the crippled pegasus' flank for some time. "Darling," she said. "There's something different about your Cutie Mark. It doesn't look the same as it did in the lexicon. Not that that's a bad thing," she added quickly.

Indeed, Blizzard's Cutie Mark looked a little different. It still showed the three snowflakes being blown in the wind, but in the background, behind the snowflakes, was the same three-pronged face with the red eyes from the last moments of the manor battle, when Veil had nearly given in to Veyrul.

"Oh! I didn't notice! But…then what does this mean? What's my special talent?" Blizzard grew increasingly worried as she inspected her flank.

Applejack took hold of the distressed pegasus and held her still. "Sugarcube, whatever your talent is, Ah'm sure we'll figure it out. Y'all have got all the time in the world ta figure it out now. And we'll help you find out with ya."

"Yeah!"

"Sure thing!"

And the seven mares laughed long into the night, the sound of their joy reverberating throughout the library and lightening their hearts.

* * *

><p><em>Dear Princess Celestia,<em>

_It's sometimes hard to help somepony, especially if they've done something you don't like. But I've learned that even though it can be hard to stand up for and support your friends, true friends are willing to forgive and forget, and stick up for each other in times of need. In the end, your true friends will shine through, and see you through the long journey home. Looking forward to seeing you in Canterlot,_

_Your faithful student, _

_Twilight Sparkle_

Spike breathed a stream of emerald flame onto the letter, sending it speeding to Canterlot. The baby dragon then hopped onto Twilight's back, listening to the small talk the seven companions made as they waited for the train to Canterlot.

Twilight was elated. The sun was shining, soon, she would be able to tell the Princess everything that had happened, as well as return the Elements of Harmony and introduce her new friend to Celestia.

_Things couldn't be any better. _The unicorn thought as they boarded the train.

As she took her seat, her hoof bumped into something. She looked down. There was a white, neatly folded cardboard box, tied with a black ribbon and stamped on the top was the same three-pronged arrow-shaped face that was now on Blizzard's flank. There was no name, only a neatly written label tied to the ribbon labeled 'To Miss Sparkle'.

Twilight apprehensively tried to levitate the box to the seat next to her, but it resisted her magic, just like Blizzard's armor had. The unicorn bent down and picked up the box, carefully untied the ribbon and pushed the lid back…

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><p>Author's Notes<p>

Any guesses as to what's in the box?

Anyhow, this story is almost over.

Anyone with suggestions for what I should put in the sequel is welcome to leave a review and tell me.

But only if Twilight survives through the next chapter.


	44. 42 Epilogue

42-Epilogue

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><p>A shout out to The Random 1 (Changelings, eh? I never even considered that), Ninjagirl01 (More is sure to happen), Waffleman2211 (I saw your post on Rooster Teeth, you're so kind!), and Guest (You know who you are) for leaving your reviews and suggestions!<p>

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><p>The gardens around Grimm's citadel were full of lush bushes, vibrant flowers, and towering trees, each of them specially cultivated by hundreds of Grimm's shades. The hooded one strode down the garden path, careful not to accidentally step on anything. After all, Grimm would be rather cross if her alchemical ingredients were fiddled with. Although the keep was just a short walk from the central square, millennia of improvements and modifications had changed the officer's estate into something of a landmark, often drawing tourists from all manner of realms.<p>

As the hooded being's talons clicked past an ornate glass fountain, it thought back to the deal it had made, absent-mindedly rummaging around in its brown bag and pulling out Soulshatter. It then replaced the sword and drew out a fractured yellow orb, the luminous ball missing a few shards and layered with cracks.

It was regrettable, really. Veyrul had been so close to returning, but after its best efforts, the hooded one had only managed to retrieve most of its essence from the pony's own soul.

The being in black, long coat-tails dragging on the cobblestones, walked over the drawbridge and into the main foyer of Grimm's estate. Not for the first time, it wondered why Grimm would want to live in such a _human_ looking place. She was obviously no longer human.

The hooded one walked up the main staircase, passing several shades on the way up. Each of the dark specters bowed as it passed.

It soon arrived at Grimm's favorite meeting spot, the Arcanum, or the library. After waiting for the locking enchantments to disable, the hooded being walked inside the dimly lit, red carpeted room.

Faedran was already there, although there was no sign of Grimm herself. There was only a portrait of her, hanging on the wall behind the antique writing desk. It wasn't a very descriptive picture, nor was it very well lit. Most of it was black, but one could just make out a pair of violet lights glaring out from inside a segmented, half-shrouded metal mask.

The superior Gigas glanced at the hooded figure as it entered the Arcanum.

_**Ah. Greetings. I heard from Grimm that you had just finished a deal with the world known as Equestria. How did that go?**_

The hooded one took a seat in a plush armchair, setting its bag at its feet. "Oh, it went alright, I suppose. I managed to retrieve Soulshatter, and secured a portion of Veyrul's soul. Sadly, a small part of it still resides in the pony's body." The being in black dusted off its coat, even though it was spotless. "We'll have to ask Grimm what to do."

Suddenly, as though it had been listening the entire time, the portrait of Grimm spoke, its calm, feminine voice resonating effortlessly throughout the room, flowing over the bookshelves. The painted eyes glowed with life, running their gaze over the other two occupants in the room.

"There is nothing for you to ask. I already have three plans concocted for retrieving the last fragments of Veyrul's soul. Naturally, we will only need one." Grimm spoke with the self confidence that could only be built up after hundreds of successes.

_**But what about the revival, the return of Veyrul? **_Faedran queried, its teeth set in a grimace.

"My dear Faedran," Grimm crooned. "Your task was never to revive Veyrul to begin with. I don't know where you got such an honestly ridiculous notion, but let me tell you this. If you had indeed successfully awakened the Court member Veyrul, the resultant magical discharge would have wiped out the manor and everything in a ten mile radius. You and your team would have almost certainly have been destroyed."

The superior Gigas frowned, its teeth flashing in the dark. Grimm took advantage of this silence to speak with the hooded figure.

"I trust your task went well?"

The being in black tilted its hooded head. "Indeed. I retrieved Soulshatter, and most of Veyrul's soul. I also managed to keep the rest of it out of the High Reaper's grasp. Goodness knows how much he'd charge for the return of that soul. Those Nexus types are always overcharging us. "

"That was very wise of you. I think I will give you a little bonus for using your intuition. And with Soulshatter back, it's only a matter of time before I can bring Mauraxus back to operational level. You've done very well. Anything else you wish to tell me before I get down to business?"

The hooded being shrugged. "I dropped off the complimentary cheesecake in their train just now, but that's pretty much it."

"Ah. Well done with that too." Grimm said smugly. "We wouldn't want to think we were cheating them now, would we?"

_**Officer, **_Faedran ventured. _**If our mission wasn't to revive Veyrul, but to retrieve the soul, why did you still pay us in full? We failed.**_

There was a high, cold laugh from the portrait. "Oh, Faedran. Just because you didn't do what I sent you to do doesn't mean you did poorly. In fact, you and your team did me a great favor."

The Gigas and the hooded being listened intently to Grimm's speech. "Although your team did fail miserably at the job which I assigned you to do," Faedran grimaced again, trying to stay calm. "And resulted in almost destroying a valuable manor, you gained me something even more valuable. And in the end, not that much was lost, really. We got Soulshatter back, and the manor is still standing. But what you've given me is an opportunity. And I reward my helpers, just like how the Grand Master rewards all of us."

"What exactly did you want to use this opportunity for?" the hooded one asked, flipping open its lexicon and writing down a few notes.

"Ah. Well, as soon as I finish my work here, I will tell you. But I guarantee you, I'll use it well. In the meantime," Grimm said, the portrait's eyes glowing even brighter. "I'm going to finalize the details on this…project. Feel free to help yourself to some tea while you wait."

_**Is this project related to your plans for that world?**_

"Oh, you'll just have to wait and see."

And with those ominous words, Grimm terminated the connection.

* * *

><p>Somewhere else in the citadel, Grimm herself looked over the pages of her lexicon, perusing the intelligence that Sirmyurin had collected before he had gone rogue.<p>

Her attention fell upon a single page, one with a color drawing of a white alicorn with a flowing rainbow mane and a Cutie Mark of the sun.

"Princess Celestia, hmm?" Grimm mused to herself. "Yes, I think that will do nicely…"

Grimm arose from her chair, seizing her staff on the way out of her study, already scheming about how to do this.

A shade approached with her afternoon tea, but she waved it aside, instead gliding soundlessly down the hallway toward the Arcanum.

Tea could wait. There was a soul that needed to be claimed.

_**THE END**_

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><p>Author's Notes<p>

I want to thank everypony, and I do mean EVERYPONY who read this story, whether you left a review or not. And to those of you who did leave a review, I want you to know that I look forward to reading them every day in the morning. When I first started out, I didn't expect this to get such a positive reaction. You should read the reviews. You guys have become as much a part of writing this story as I have been.

Give yourselves a brohoof.

Oh, and check the next chapter for that grim verison of chapter 40.

**Sequel coming soon…**


	45. Bonus: Grim version of chap 40

40 Ultimatum

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><p><em><strong>THE FOLLOWING IS NON CANON<strong>_

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><p>Twilight and Sirmyurin watched as the hooded being, now holding a crackling orb of blue energy in its hand, stalked toward them, the sorcerous discharge whipping its absurdly long coat-tails around. The other hand still gripped Soulshatter in the two-finger grip, but no matter how hard Twilight willed the blade to return to her, the weapon would not respond. Sirmyurin had been right. This being was even more powerful than Faedran had been, and she had just angered it.<p>

Twilight's life began to flash before her eyes as the being in black took another step toward them, each taloned foot digging into the soft earth. The ball of magic grew even bigger, jagged lightning beginning to fork out of the orb haphazardly. The cloaked being threw Soulshatter into the ground, the cursed weapon embedding itself up to the hilt in the grass, stuck tight, and leaving the being's other hand free.

Twilight began to charge a spell with her horn, a last ditch attempt to teleport out, to do anything. Perhaps she could even call Princess Celestia… Twilight glanced at Sirmyurin, who gazing transfixed by the magnificent blue orb of doom that was now rapidly approaching the table. He seemed to be in shock.

Twilight felt he magic brimming at the tip of her horn, the tip of it glowing with sparkling magenta light.

This was it. The spell was ready.

The hooded one was now less than five meters away, and the orb of sparks was almost too bright to look at. It revolved and pulsed in the creature's grip, a high pitched whining emitting from the ball of sorcery.

Twilight tilted her head up and closed her eyes, pouring every last part of her will into this message.

_Princess. Help me._

Pinpricks of rainbow light began to gather around Twilight Sparkle. Seconds later, Twilight would be drained of her magical strength, but Princess Celestia would be on the way.

The hooded being chuckled and stretched out its free hand, reaching into a small yellow portal that appeared beside it. At the same time, another portal opened next to Twilight's ear. The hooded being's armored hand reappeared out of that portal, and with a sharp movement, flicked the unicorn's cheek, making her flinch and breaking her concentration. She recoiled, the spell fading before it could be used.

Twilight opened her eyes, the magical buildup in her horn dissipating, leaving her with an awful empty feeling. The being withdrew its hand, both portals closing as it continued its relentless pace, the spell in its hand growing and sizzling.

This was it.

The hooded being stretched out its hand, the spell's humming intensifying into an almost intolerable level. Twilight felt as if she were glued to the spot, unable to even look away as the orb's radiance grew to blinding.

* * *

><p>"NO!"<p>

Sirmyurin suddenly snapped out of his trance, unfurling his enormous wings and pouncing at the hooded being, the alicorn's cracked horn beginning to extend into a blade of light as it closed the distance.

The hooded being suddenly disappeared, the garden's light level dropping back to normal, which seemed rather dark. Sirmyurin, horn flickering and fizzling with magic, slid to a stop right in top of where their attacker had been standing.

"Too slow."

Both equines heard a soft _boom_, and out of nowhere, the hooded being reappeared behind Sirmyurin, arm extended.

With a flick of its armored wrist, the hooded being threw the ball of light, striking Sirmyurin head on. There was a deafening blast, accompanied with a shockwave and a gout of cold air.

When the spell faded, Sirmyurin, still with a surprised and dismayed expression on his face, toppled to the ground.

* * *

><p>"Sirmyurin!" Twilight cried, rushing to the alicorn's side. Her friend's coat, once a lustrous white, was now a dull gray shade that looked like marble. His open eyes, staring intently at the grass, were now pure orange, and they glittered, like gemstones.<p>

It reminded Twilight of Talonbite. She was hit with a sudden revelation. Perhaps Talonbite had once been alive too, but now…despite the fact that Sirmyurin had tried to split them up earlier, and had been working with Faedran, he had saved them, and obviously cared deeply for Blizzard Gale. And about Twilight, too, it seemed. And now he had paid the price of friendship, of giving in to sentiment.

"No, please! Please get up!" Twilight sniffled, hugging the statue, which now was cold and hard, even the mane.

The hooded being watched with a dull disinterest, muttering to itself and putting a hand under its hood, giving off the impression that it was stroking its chin.

"Hmm…what a mess…couldn't be helped, I suppose. Ah well."

It strode over to the ivory table, and after recreating its chair, sat down once more, twiddling its thumbs.

"You know," it said in a thoughtful tone. "I think I might enjoy presenting that statue to Faedran. That one has a special penchant for animating those things and making them do his will. I don't know. Maybe it can stay here, and watch over the world it seems to care about so much. Either way, Twilight Sparkle, I think we have unfinished business here. The sooner you sit down, the sooner we can conclude this ghastly meeting."

Twilight didn't hear it. She was trying every spell she knew to counter petrification, but every spell she weaved simply slid off her friend's marble body.

The hooded being peered into its lexicon, turning a few pages. "You know, that if you don't get yourself over here right now, I'll have to take action? I'm not going to be here forever, waiting for you to finish failing at unfreezing him-oh?"

* * *

><p>A scroll had just dropped onto the table, gray paper with a stylized rune on the wax seal. The hooded being immediately dropped the lexicon and tore the scroll open, reading it with care.<p>

The being stared at the seal, then read the contents once again, just to make sure of the message.

"So. It's going to be like that, eh?" it muttered softly. "Alright. I can deal with that."

The hooded one rose up from the table, striding over to Twilight Sparkle and the stone Sirmyurin, scroll in one hand, a ball of orange light in the other. Without a word, Twilight was pushed aside by a cold metal gauntlet, and watched helplessly as the hooded being shot the orange orb into Sirmyurin's face. It then unrolled the scroll and began to dictate in a loud monotone.

"By order of Grimm, the operative known as Sirmyurin, has been found guilty of severe insubordination on a retrieval mission led by the operative known as Faedran. Sirmyurin, you are hereby sentenced by the Court…" there was a pause. "…To four months of extensive counseling with Court member Nightfall. If you decline, I will leave you as you are. I will take your silence as affirmation. Do you have any objections?" The being in black paused and looked at Sirmyurin. "Of course you don't. Well then, off with you."

A yellow portal opened in the grass, allowing the alicorn statue to drop through, disappearing as quickly as it had come.

Twilight picked herself up off the grass, ignoring the pain in her side from being shoved away.

She threw herself at the hooded being, pawing and kicking with all her might, screaming and howling in rage.

Her target simply took a step back, waving a hand at her and stopping her in place with a flash of black lightning. Once the lavender pony was immobilized, the hooded being stepped forward and dusted its coat off.

"You know, if you had damaged my coat, I'd have sent you the repair fee." It checked its sleeves, then the coat-tails. "I'm sure this coat is worth more than you can imagine, so do be careful." The hooded one stopped examining its coat and peered at Twilight, to hung limp in the magic's embrace, completely useless.

"You know, I'm not here to fight you. If I was, you'd be gone before you knew what happened. I'm here to cut you a deal, and if you'll just _listen_," Twilight felt a cold metal finger tap her forehead. She didn't care. "…then I'll tell you something that you might find interesting."

The being left Twilight levitating in midair and strode over to Soulshatter, effortlessly pulling it out of the ground. Holding it by the hilt and crossguard, the hooded one brought Soulshatter back, holding it in front of Twilight's face. The blade glowed with crimson runes, but otherwise remained inanimate.

"Where did you get this sword?"

Twilight felt her mouth unseal, allowing her to answer. For a moment, the unicorn was tempted to lie and say he didn't know, but then she thought of Sirmyurin, taken from her in an instant. There was no use resisting. "I got it from…Mauraxus. I took it off him."

The being in black turned the blade over in its gauntleted hands, examining the weapon carefully. "Do you know how many souls are in here, by any chance? Because this is a very valuable magical artifact, and I'd be willing to buy it off you."

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><p>And at this point, I realized that this was too grim and way too revealing, so I stopped.<p>

* * *

><p>Anyhow, thanks for reading this entire story.<p>

It's been a long journey for me too, except I've been at home the whole time.

**Sequel coming soon…**

And leave a review on the previous chapters, if you didn't already!


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